Istio provides out-of-the-box network security tools- from mutual TLS (mTLS) encryption to powerful AuthorizationPolicies for access control. However, misconfigurations can expose vulnerabilities, compromising the security of the entire mesh. The new Ambient mode in Istio removes the need for sidecars but requires new considerations when configuring access control at different network layers.

The tutorial will provide Kubernetes clusters with Istio installed and some vulnerabilities ready for you to exploit and learn from. After an introduction to Istio, we will provide time for participants to find and exploit the Istio misconfigurations (with hints if you get stuck!). We will wrap up the tutorial by walking through the steps to find the flag hidden on the cluster.

This is a beginner-friendly, hands-on, collaborative tutorial to learn the importance of correctly configuring Istio security policies and what can go wrong if misconfiguration slips through the cracks.