Kubernetes API Server must disable basic authentication to protect information in transit.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
high	V-245542	SRG-APP-000439-CTR-001080	CNTR-K8-002620	SV-245542r961632_rule	2025-05-16	2

Description
Kubernetes basic authentication sends and receives request containing username, uid, groups, and other fields over a clear text HTTP communication. Basic authentication does not provide any security mechanisms using encryption standards. PKI certificate-based authentication must be set over a secure channel to ensure confidentiality and integrity. Basic authentication must not be set in the manifest file.

Description

Kubernetes basic authentication sends and receives request containing username, uid, groups, and other fields over a clear text HTTP communication. Basic authentication does not provide any security mechanisms using encryption standards. PKI certificate-based authentication must be set over a secure channel to ensure confidentiality and integrity. Basic authentication must not be set in the manifest file.

ℹ️ Check
Change to the /etc/kubernetes/manifests/ directory on the Kubernetes Control Plane. Run the command: grep -i basic-auth-file * If "basic-auth-file" is set in the Kubernetes API server manifest file this is a finding.

✔️ Fix
Edit the Kubernetes API Server manifest file in the /etc/kubernetes/manifests directory on the Kubernetes Control Plane. Remove the setting "--basic-auth-file".