SAP Kyma is an open-source, Kubernetes-based platform designed to build and extend cloud-native applications in the SAP environment. While Kyma provides flexibility and scalability, security remains a paramount concern—especially when integrating with core SAP systems and handling sensitive business data.
This article outlines best practices to secure SAP Kyma applications, helping developers and administrators protect workloads, data, and communications throughout the application lifecycle.
Kyma applications often serve as extensions to SAP core solutions such as SAP S/4HANA, SAP SuccessFactors, and SAP Commerce Cloud. These extensions may expose APIs, process sensitive data, and interact with critical business workflows. Any security lapse can result in data breaches, compliance violations, or disruption of business operations.
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Define fine-grained permissions for users and services to control access to Kubernetes resources.
- Namespaces: Use namespaces to isolate workloads by environment or team, limiting blast radius in case of compromise.
- Pod Security Policies (PSP): Enforce security contexts that restrict pod capabilities (e.g., disallow running as root).
¶ 2. Secure Secrets and Sensitive Data
- Store sensitive information such as API keys, passwords, and certificates in Kubernetes Secrets, not in ConfigMaps or code.
- Enable encryption at rest for Secrets in the Kubernetes cluster.
- Consider external secret management solutions (e.g., HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager) integrated with Kyma for enhanced security.
- Enable TLS encryption for all communication between services, including between microservices, APIs, and SAP backend systems.
- Use Istio Service Mesh features in Kyma to enforce mutual TLS (mTLS), ensuring encrypted and authenticated service-to-service communication.
¶ 4. Implement Strong Authentication and Authorization
- Use OAuth 2.0/OpenID Connect for user authentication via SAP Identity Authentication Service (IAS) or other identity providers.
- Implement API gateways with fine-grained access control and quota management to protect exposed APIs.
- Validate and sanitize all incoming data to avoid injection attacks.
¶ 5. Keep Components and Dependencies Up to Date
- Regularly update Kyma runtime, Kubernetes versions, and container images to patch known vulnerabilities.
- Use trusted, verified base images and scan container images for security issues before deployment.
¶ 6. Monitor and Log Security Events
- Enable centralized logging for Kyma components and applications.
- Use monitoring tools like Prometheus and Grafana to detect anomalous behavior.
- Set up alerts for suspicious activities such as failed authentications or unusual network traffic.
- Define Kubernetes Network Policies to restrict communication between pods, limiting exposure to only necessary traffic paths.
- Use Istio authorization policies to enforce zero-trust networking principles inside the cluster.
- Follow secure coding standards to prevent vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site request forgery (CSRF), and injection attacks.
- Conduct regular security code reviews and penetration testing on Kyma applications.
- Backup Critical Data: Ensure backups of configurations, secrets, and persistent data are encrypted and securely stored.
- Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Enable MFA for access to SAP BTP and Kubernetes management consoles.
- Limit Kubernetes API Access: Restrict access to Kubernetes API server and audit all administrative actions.
- Educate Teams: Provide security training for developers and operators working with Kyma applications.
Security in SAP Kyma applications is a shared responsibility across development, operations, and security teams. By adopting Kubernetes-native security controls, encrypting sensitive data, enforcing strict access policies, and continuously monitoring applications, organizations can build resilient, secure extensions that protect SAP’s critical business assets.
Implementing these best practices not only safeguards Kyma deployments but also aligns with enterprise compliance and governance requirements, enabling businesses to confidently innovate on the SAP Business Technology Platform.