2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
![Constellation ](docs/static/img/banner.svg )
2022-07-29 10:37:35 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
# Always Encrypted K8s
2022-03-22 11:03:15 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
< p >
2022-09-03 12:21:57 -04:00
< a href = "https://github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/blob/main/LICENSE" > < img src = "https://img.shields.io/github/license/edgelesssys/constellation" alt = "Constellation License" > < / a >
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
< a href = "https://github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/actions/workflows/e2e-test-azure.yml/badge.svg?branch=main" > < img src = "https://github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/actions/workflows/e2e-test-azure.yml/badge.svg?branch=main" alt = "E2E Test Azure" > < / a >
< a href = "https://github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/actions/workflows/e2e-test-gcp.yml/badge.svg?branch=main" > < img src = "https://github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/actions/workflows/e2e-test-gcp.yml/badge.svg?branch=main" alt = "E2E Test GCP" > < / a >
< a href = "https://goreportcard.com/report/github.com/edgelesssys/constellation" > < img src = "https://goreportcard.com/badge/github.com/edgelesssys/constellation" alt = "Go Report" > < / a >
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
< a href = "https://discord.gg/rH8QTH56JN" > < img src = "https://img.shields.io/discord/823900998606651454?color=7389D8&label=discord&logo=discord&logoColor=ffffff" alt = "Discord" > < / a >
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
< a href = "https://twitter.com/EdgelessSystems" > < img src = "https://img.shields.io/twitter/follow/EdgelessSystems?label=Follow" alt = "Twitter" > < / a >
< / p >
2022-03-22 11:03:15 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
Constellation is a Kubernetes engine that aims to provide the best possible data security. It wraps your K8s cluster into a single *confidential context* that is shielded from the underlying cloud infrastructure. Everything inside is always encrypted, including at runtime in memory. For this, Constellation leverages confidential computing (see our [whitepaper]) and more specifically Confidential VMs.
2022-03-22 11:03:15 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
< img src = "docs/static/img/concept.svg" alt = "Concept" width = "65%" / >
2022-03-22 11:03:15 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
## Goals
2022-03-22 11:03:15 -04:00
2022-09-03 12:21:57 -04:00
From a security perspective, Constellation is designed to keep all data always encrypted and to prevent access from the infrastructure layer (i.e., remove the infrastructure from the TCB). This includes access from datacenter employees, privileged cloud admins, and attackers coming through the infrastructure (e.g., malicious co-tenants escalating their privileges).
2022-03-22 11:03:15 -04:00
2022-09-03 12:21:57 -04:00
From a DevOps perspective, Constellation is designed to work just like what you would expect from a modern K8s engine.
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
## Use cases
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
Encrypting your K8s is good for:
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
* Increasing the overall security of your clusters
* Increasing the trustworthiness of your SaaS offerings
* Moving sensitive workloads from on-prem to the cloud
* Meeting regulatory requirements
2022-08-23 07:46:06 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
## Features
2022-08-23 07:46:06 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
### 🔒 Everything always encrypted
2022-08-23 07:46:06 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
* Runtime encryption: All nodes run inside AMD SEV-based Confidential VMs (CVMs). Support for Intel TDX will be added in the future.
* Transparent encryption of network and storage: All pod-to-pod traffic and all writes to persistent storage are automatically encrypted ([more][network-encryption])
* Transparent key management: All cryptographic keys are managed within the confidential context ([more][key-management])
2022-08-23 07:46:06 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
### 🔍 Everything verifiable
2022-08-23 07:46:06 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
* "Whole cluster" attestation based on the remote-attestation feature of CVMs ([more][cluster-attestation])
* Confidential computing-optimized node images based on Fedora CoreOS; fully measured and integrity-protected ([more][images])
* Supply chain protection with [Sigstore ](https://www.sigstore.dev/ ) ([more][supply-chain])
2022-08-23 07:46:06 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
### 🚀 Performance and scale
2022-08-23 07:46:06 -04:00
2022-09-03 12:21:57 -04:00
* High availability with multi-master architecture and stacked etcd topology
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
* Dynamic cluster autoscaling with verification and secure bootstrapping of new nodes
* Competitive performance ([see K-Bench comparison with AKS and GKE][performance])
2022-08-23 07:46:06 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
### 🧩 Easy to use and integrate
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
< a href = "https://landscape.cncf.io/?selected=constellation" > < img src = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cncf/artwork/1c1a10d9cc7de24235e07c8831923874331ef233/projects/kubernetes/certified-kubernetes/versionless/color/certified-kubernetes-color.svg" align = "right" width = "100px" > < / a >
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
* Constellation is a [CNCF-certified][certified] Kubernetes. It's aligned to Kubernetes' [version support policy][k8s-version-support] and will likely work with your existing workloads and tools.
* ☁️ Support for Azure and GCP, more to come.
2022-08-26 06:59:36 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
## Getting started
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
If you're already familiar with Kubernetes, it's easy to get started with Constellation:
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
1. 📦 [Install the CLI][install]
2. ⌨️ [Create a Constellation cluster][create-cluster]
3. 🏎️ [Run your app][examples]
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
![Constellation Shell ](docs/static/img/shell-windowframe.svg )
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
## Documentation
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
To learn more, see the official [documentation ](https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation ).
You may want to start with one of the following sections.
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
* [Confidential Kubernetes][confidential-kubernetes] (Constellation vs. AKS/GKE + CVMs)
* [Security benefits][security-benefits]
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
* [Architecture][architecture]
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
## Support
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
* Please ask questions via [Discord] or file an [issue][github-issues].
* If you experience errors, please create a [bug report][github-issues].
* Visit our [blog ](https://blog.edgeless.systems/ ) for technical deep-dives and tutorials and follow us on [Twitter] for news.
* Edgeless Systems also offers [Enterprise Support][enterprise-support].
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
## Contributing
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-03 12:21:57 -04:00
Refer to [`CONTRIBUTING.md` ](CONTRIBUTING.md ) on how to contribute. The most important points:
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
* Pull requests are welcome! You need to agree to our [Contributor License Agreement][cla-assistant].
2022-09-05 02:42:55 -04:00
* Please follow the [Code of Conduct ](/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md ).
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
* ⚠️ To report a security issue, please write to security@edgeless.systems.
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
## License
2022-03-22 11:03:15 -04:00
2022-09-03 12:21:57 -04:00
The Constellation source code is licensed under the [GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 ](LICENSE ). Edgeless Systems provides pre-built and signed binaries and images for Constellation. You may use these free of charge to create and run services for internal consumption. You can find more information in the [license] section of the docs.
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
<!-- refs -->
2022-09-01 03:27:25 -04:00
[architecture]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/architecture/overview
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
[certified]: https://www.cncf.io/certification/software-conformance/
[Cilium]: https://cilium.io/
[cla-assistant]: https://cla-assistant.io/edgelesssys/constellation
2022-09-01 03:27:25 -04:00
[cluster-attestation]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/architecture/attestation#cluster-attestation
[confidential-kubernetes]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/overview/confidential-kubernetes
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
[discord]: https://discord.gg/rH8QTH56JN
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
[enterprise-support]: https://www.edgeless.systems/products/constellation/
[create-cluster]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/workflows/create
2022-08-23 07:46:06 -04:00
[documentation]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/latest
2022-09-01 03:27:25 -04:00
[examples]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/getting-started/examples
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
[github-issues]: https://github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/issues/new/choose
2022-09-01 03:27:25 -04:00
[images]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/architecture/images#constellation-images
[install]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/getting-started/install
[k8s-version-support]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/architecture/versions#kubernetes-support-policy
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
[key-management]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/architecture/keys
2022-09-04 16:11:10 -04:00
[license]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/overview/license
2022-09-01 03:27:25 -04:00
[network-encryption]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/architecture/keys#network-encryption
[supply-chain]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/architecture/attestation#chain-of-trust
2022-09-04 16:11:10 -04:00
[security-benefits]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/overview/security-benefits
2022-08-19 08:54:11 -04:00
[twitter]: https://twitter.com/EdgelessSystems
2022-09-02 10:10:27 -04:00
[whitepaper]: https://content.edgeless.systems/hubfs/Confidential%20Computing%20Whitepaper.pdf
2022-09-05 02:42:55 -04:00
[performance]: https://docs.edgeless.systems/constellation/overview/benchmarks