Network Policies
Network Policies are a Kubernetes resource that define rules for controlling network traffic between pods and other network endpoints. They specify how groups of pods are allowed to communicate with each other and with other network entities, enabling fine-grained network segmentation and security within a cluster. This concept is crucial for implementing zero-trust networking and microservices security in containerized environments.
Developers should learn and use Network Policies when deploying applications on Kubernetes to enforce security boundaries between services, prevent lateral movement of threats, and comply with regulatory requirements. They are essential for production environments where different components (e.g., frontend, backend, database) need isolated communication, such as in multi-tenant clusters or microservices architectures with sensitive data.