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Kubernetes etcd must have a key file for secure communication.

Overview

Finding IDVersionRule IDIA ControlsSeverity
V-242431CNTR-K8-001530SV-242431r1043178_ruleCCI-001184medium
Description
Kubernetes stores configuration and state information in a distributed key-value store called etcd. Anyone who can write to etcd can effectively control a Kubernetes cluster. Even just reading the contents of etcd could easily provide helpful hints to a would-be attacker. Using authenticity protection, the communication can be protected against man-in-the-middle attacks/session hijacking and the insertion of false information into sessions. The communication session is protected by utilizing transport encryption protocols, such as TLS. TLS provides the Kubernetes API Server and etcd with a means to be able to authenticate sessions and encrypt traffic. To enable encrypted communication for etcd, the parameter "--etcd-keyfile" must be set. This parameter gives the location of the key file used to secure etcd communication.
STIGDate
Kubernetes Security Technical Implementation Guide2026-02-12

Related Frameworks

1 mapping across 4 frameworks
SCF0 mappings

No source states a mapping between these directly.

Also reachable in 3 hops (1) derived by us, not asserted by any source

Each of these is a route we composed by chaining published mappings. No publisher states a relationship between the two endpoints.

NET-09Session Integrity
1.00
NIST 800-530 mappings

No source states a mapping between these directly.

Also reachable in 2 hops (30) derived by us, not asserted by any source

Each of these is a route we composed by chaining published mappings. No publisher states a relationship between the two endpoints.

AC-17(2)Protection of Confidentiality and Integrity Using Encryption
1.00
AU-10(1)Association of Identities
1.00
AU-10(2)Validate Binding of Information Producer Identity
1.00
AU-9(3)Cryptographic Protection
1.00
CM-14Signed Components
1.00
CM-5(3)Signed Components
1.00
CM-6Configuration Settings
1.00
CM-7Least Functionality
1.00
IA-2(1)Multi-factor Authentication to Privileged Accounts
1.00
IA-2(12)Acceptance of PIV Credentials
1.00

+20 more (top 10 by confidence shown)

NIST 800-1710 mappings

No source states a mapping between these directly.

Also reachable in 3 hops (1) derived by us, not asserted by any source

Each of these is a route we composed by chaining published mappings. No publisher states a relationship between the two endpoints.

3.13.15
1.00
CCI1 mapping
CCI-001184
1.00

Details

Check Text (C-242431r1043178_chk)

Change to the /etc/kubernetes/manifests directory on the Kubernetes Control Plane. Run the command: grep -i etcd-keyfile * If the setting "--etcd-keyfile" is not configured in the Kubernetes API Server manifest file, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-45664r927120_fix)

Edit the Kubernetes API Server manifest file in the /etc/kubernetes/manifests directory on the Kubernetes Control Plane. Set the value of "--etcd-keyfile" to the certificate to be used for communication with etcd.