Name: kubernetes-ingress-controller
Author: Kong

Primary Use Case

This tool is used by Kubernetes administrators and DevOps teams to manage ingress traffic and API gateways within Kubernetes environments. It provides advanced API security, load balancing, and plugin-based enhancements to control and secure traffic routing efficiently. It supports both the modern Gateway API and traditional Ingress resources for flexible deployment.

Key Features

Native support for Kubernetes Gateway API and Ingress resources

Declarative configuration using Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs)

Load balancing with active and passive health checks

Multi-protocol support including TCP, UDP, TLS, gRPC, HTTP/HTTPS

Automatic scaling and high availability of Kong Gateway instances

Extensive plugin ecosystem for authentication, rate-limiting, and request/response transformations

Compatibility with Kubernetes-native tooling and workflows

Insights & Recommendations

Ensure that the Kubernetes cluster supports the Gateway API CRDs before installation. Use Helm for easier management and upgrades. For production environments, consider using Kong Enterprise for additional features and support. Leverage Kong plugins to enhance API security and traffic control. Regularly monitor health checks and load balancing status to maintain high availability.

Installation

Install Gateway API CRDs for GA or beta resources: kubectl apply -f https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/gateway-api/releases/download/v1.0.0/standard-install.yaml
Alternatively, install experimental Gateway API resources: kubectl apply -f https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/gateway-api/releases/download/v1.0.0/experimental-install.yaml
Install Kong Ingress Controller using Helm: helm install kong --namespace kong --create-namespace --repo https://charts.konghq.com ingress
Follow the official Getting Started guide to configure Kong in your Kubernetes cluster
For Kong Enterprise users, follow the enterprise setup guide
Alternatively, install using the Kong Gateway Operator following its quick start guide

Usage

kubectl apply -f https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/gateway-api/releases/download/v1.0.0/standard-install.yaml

Installs Gateway API Custom Resource Definitions for stable and beta resources.

kubectl apply -f https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/gateway-api/releases/download/v1.0.0/experimental-install.yaml

Installs experimental Gateway API resources including TCPRoute and UDPRoute.

helm install kong --namespace kong --create-namespace --repo https://charts.konghq.com ingress

Installs the Kong Ingress Controller into the Kubernetes cluster using Helm.

Smart Usage Notes

Integrate Kong Ingress Controller with Kubernetes-native security policies for automated API security enforcement.Leverage plugin ecosystem for dynamic rate-limiting and authentication to mitigate API abuse and brute force attacks.Use health checks and load balancing features to maintain high availability and resilience against DoS attacks.Combine with network segmentation and monitoring tools to enhance detection of anomalous ingress traffic.Deploy in CI/CD pipelines to automate security testing and validation of ingress configurations before production rollout.

OpenSec Atlas

kubernetes-ingress-controller

About This Tool

Primary Use Case

Key Features

Insights & Recommendations

Installation

Usage

Smart Usage Notes

Security Capability Profile

Tags

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