What is Platform Event Trap? How can one secure modern CI/CD pipelines? What is the developer’s struggle? These are a few of the questions that come to mind for every person dealing with Platform Event Trap.
The modern-day software technology works on digital events. These events commit, update, request, build and trigger automation.
Every section here works as a part to work on the developer’s command to build production-ready assets. This event-driven model laid the foundation for modern CI/CD. But there are risks.
While dealing with software events, many businesses fall into the Platform Event Trap.
It occurs when developers adopt a fast development approach but fail to launch security at the event level.
This derails security during the development, merger, or production—this leads to insecure behavior such as running unsafe scripts, exposed and malicious dependencies.
Today, I am sharing everything about Platform Event Trap that you must know to ensure security at the event level.
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Platform Event Trap and Event-Driven CI/CD Pipelines:
Modern CI/CD is different than traditional models. These are automated.
All you need is to push a code to run the machine, and it will do everything on its own.
At a developer level, this includes builds, tests, deployment, and scanning of software or applications.
This creates efficiency but ignores human oversight.
As the event drives the CI/CD pipeline, it opens with a pull request, updates the dependency, and changes the workflow. These steps fall under a single event that triggers the whole process.
It increases the risk of security flaws at the event level.
Developers are the controllers of CI/CD. They can use tools like GitHub, Jenkinsfiles, and GitLab to create events.
While they are allowed to do that, a single line of wrong code can lead to massive security disruption.
The high speed of automation raises the security risks.
Auto merging, coaching, auto deployment, and parallel jobs are reducing production time.
At the same time, a single line of code can take down the entire system.
CI/CD and events can cause Platform Event Trap.
Platform Event Trap:
Platform Event is an automation action within CI/CD. Opening or merging pull requests is the most common example of the platform event.
It also includes updating dependencies, modifying configuration files, running scripts, and container images.
Platform Event Trap occurs when a developer allows these processes without security enforcement.
Many organizations still rely on human review instead of automation security. This causes a gap between risk introduction and detection.
Industries require a security mechanism to fill the Platform Event Trap gap. It works at the event level and enforces security.
Why Platform Event Trap Is Risky for CI/CD Pipeline Integrity?
CI/CD Pipeline Integrity means that your system is secure to run events without compromising.
Here are the reasons Platform Event Trap is Risky:
Secret leakage:
The Platform Event Trap causes secret security leakage.
It happens when developers accidentally use tokens and API keys more than they are required to.
The unnecessary use of APIs and tokens reveals their identity during events. They leave footprints in logs, container images, artifacts, and caches.
Attackers can use this window to access credentials and shut down the whole process.
Supply Chain Attacks:
Supply Chain Attacks are another example of Platform Event Trap.
Using GitHub files and open-source library code increases the risk.
A single line of malicious code can reveal everything to hackers.
If you do not check them during the event level, they can reveal the whole system to the attackers.
Unsafe Build Execution:
Unsafe build execution is another common risk of Platform Event Trap.
The CI/CD system runs with privileges. Attackers can use it to install unverified code to compromise the pipeline.
Pipeline Tempering:
Pipeline tempering is also typical during Platform Event Trap.
Attackers can abuse code.
They can change workflow, turn off security scripts, and deploy malicious code. It is a must to install automated security checks.
Platform Event Trap and Security Control:
Platform Event Trap works as a security control for CI/CD pipelines. It listens to every event in real time and ensures safety.
If it finds a malicious code or process running against rules, then it will eliminate or block the building or cancel the pipeline job.
It also suggests fixing inline. It immediately runs codes and rules to secure the pipelines and process.
How Platform Event Traps Work?
New Dependency:
When a developer adds a new dependency, Platform Event Traps scans it for security.
It blocks any event of malicious code or attack within that dependency. This way, it preserves the pipeline design.
Secret Guardrails:
If the developer runs a secret code by mistake, the Platform Event Traps detect it and stop it in real time.
It cancels the pipeline job and secures it.
This way, it ensures that secrets never reach the log files.
Unsafe Commands:
During an unsafe command in the build script, the execution guardrail detects it and stops it from execution. This way, it blocks maximum high-risk patterns.
Secure CI/CD configuration:
If someone tries to modify the CI/CD configuration to bypass control, it detects the unsigned workflows and blocks them.
Note: Event traps not only block but also fix capabilities and upgrade them.
Different Types of Guardrails:
There are different types of Platform Event Trap guardrails.
- Secret Guardrails: These detect and block exposed secrets from reaching logs.
- Dependency Guardrails: these prevent malicious or vulnerable code from execution.
- Execution Guardrails: These block risky shell patterns from accessing code.
- Configuration Guardrails: These protect CI/CD pipeline integrity from unauthorized access.
- AutoFix: It fixes dependencies.
These are the necessary guardrails of the system to ensure security.
How does Platform Event Trap Avoid Overblocking?
Security automation can block everything. But this is where you need innovative solutions. That analyzes the code before blocking it.
The Platform Event Traps work on context-aware enforcement technology.
It uses reachability analysis to scan the code and discover vulnerabilities. It is necessary to check the code before blocking it.
What are the Best Practices to Avoid Platform Event Traps?
Professional security teams enforce security at the event level.
They do not wait for the attach to reach the deployment level. They prevent unsafe actions and unauthorized access.
It uses the whole system to block attacks and reduce noise.
Build Scalable Event-Driven Pipelines:
The Platform Event Traps do not stop automation. Its goal is to ensure security during the automation process. So that attackers do not get access to secrets and pipelines.
Xygeni is one of the popular systems that ensure event level security. It keeps the security automated, invisible, and developer-friendly.
Conclusion:
The Platform Event Traps are in favor of security. You need to enforce automation security at the event level to keep pipelines and processes safe.
Your platform event should change or scale according to your business growth.
Keep regular checks and update your pipelines.
FAQs:
What are Platform Event Traps?
Platform Event Traps are necessary to ensure safety.
How to Stop Vulnerability at the event level?
Enforce event-level security to secure the system.
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