Training course on Cybersecurity in Cloud Native Environments

Module 1: Foundations of Cloud Native Security
Overview:
Understanding the principles and components of cloud-native environments and their impact on cybersecurity.
Key Focus Areas:
Cloud-native architecture overview (containers, microservices, serverless)
Shared responsibility model in cloud security
Security considerations in hybrid and multi-cloud ecosystems
Overview of the CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation) security landscape
Common attack surfaces and threat vectors
Learning Outcome:
Participants will gain foundational knowledge of cloud-native environments and identify core security challenges and priorities.

Module 2: Container Security Fundamentals
Overview:
Exploring container technologies and strategies to secure their lifecycle.
Key Focus Areas:
Container architecture and security risks
Container image creation, signing, and verification
Vulnerability scanning and image hardening (using tools like Trivy, Clair, Anchore)
Runtime protection and policy enforcement
Container registry security and access control
Learning Outcome:
Participants will learn how to secure containers from build to runtime through best practices and tool integrations.

Module 3: Kubernetes and Orchestration Security
Overview:
Securing Kubernetes clusters, workloads, and configurations for resilient orchestration.
Key Focus Areas:
Kubernetes security architecture and threat landscape
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and authentication mechanisms
Pod security policies and admission controllers
Network policies, secrets management, and secure ingress/egress control
Auditing, logging, and runtime monitoring using tools like Falco and Kubescape
Learning Outcome:
Participants will develop hands-on expertise in hardening Kubernetes clusters and securing workloads within orchestrated environments.

Module 4: Microservices and API Security
Overview:
Protecting microservices communication and ensuring API security within distributed architectures.
Key Focus Areas:
Microservices architecture and security implications
API authentication, authorization, and encryption
OWASP API Security Top 10 threats and mitigations
Service mesh security (Istio, Linkerd)
Secure API gateways and zero-trust service communication
Learning Outcome:
Participants will understand how to design and secure APIs and microservices using robust authentication and traffic control methods.

Module 5: DevSecOps and Continuous Security Integration
Overview:
Integrating security across CI/CD pipelines to ensure continuous protection in development and deployment.
Key Focus Areas:
DevSecOps principles and culture
Security automation in CI/CD pipelines
Integrating scanning tools (SAST, DAST, and dependency scanning)
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) security (Terraform, Ansible, AWS CloudFormation)
Secure build, deploy, and monitoring pipelines
Learning Outcome:
Participants will be able to implement DevSecOps practices that automate and enforce security throughout the software delivery lifecycle.

Module 6: Identity, Access Management, and Secret Protection
Overview:
Implementing identity-centric controls and safeguarding credentials in distributed systems.
Key Focus Areas:
Cloud identity and access management (IAM) best practices
Role-based access and attribute-based access models
Secrets management using Vault, AWS KMS, and Azure Key Vault
Federation and SSO in cloud-native environments
Continuous authentication and just-in-time access
Learning Outcome:
Participants will learn to design secure identity and access frameworks while managing secrets efficiently in the cloud.

Module 7: Network Security and Zero Trust in Cloud Native Systems
Overview:
Applying zero-trust principles and microsegmentation to secure dynamic cloud workloads.
Key Focus Areas:
Cloud network segmentation and policy-based access
Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA) in cloud contexts
Service mesh and encrypted communications
Intrusion detection and prevention systems in cloud-native environments
Cloud firewall and network monitoring strategies
Learning Outcome:
Participants will gain practical knowledge in securing network communications and enforcing least-privilege access across cloud-native workloads.

Module 8: Threat Detection, Monitoring, and Incident Response
Overview:
Building resilience through proactive detection and responsive security operations.
Key Focus Areas:
Threat modeling for cloud-native environments
Monitoring tools and observability (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack)
Security information and event management (SIEM) integration
Automated alerting, anomaly detection, and forensics
Incident response strategies for cloud-native breaches
Learning Outcome:
Participants will be able to monitor, detect, and respond to threats using automated and data-driven approaches.

Module 9: Compliance, Governance, and Risk Management
Overview:
Ensuring cloud-native systems adhere to security, privacy, and regulatory standards.
Key Focus Areas:
Cloud security frameworks (CIS Benchmarks, ISO 27017, NIST SP 800-190)
Data protection and privacy compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2)
Continuous compliance and automated auditing
Policy management and governance automation
Risk assessment and mitigation strategies
Learning Outcome:
Participants will learn how to integrate compliance, risk management, and governance within cloud-native security programs.

Module 10: Cloud Native Security Architecture and Future Trends
Overview:
Designing secure architectures and exploring next-generation security innovations in cloud-native ecosystems.
Key Focus Areas:
Designing end-to-end secure cloud-native systems
Security reference architectures for multi-cloud and hybrid deployments
Integration of AI and ML in threat detection and response
Emerging trends: confidential computing, service mesh evolution, and edge security
Capstone project: designing a cloud-native security blueprint
Learning Outcome:
Participants will consolidate their learning by designing a secure, scalable cloud-native architecture with modern defensive mechanisms.