Kubernetes Network Policies for NDA Compliance

Kubernetes Network Policies define how pods communicate. They set the rules for ingress and egress traffic at the IP level. Without them, any pod can send data to any other pod. With them, you decide which namespaces, labels, or CIDRs are allowed to connect. It’s control at the packet level, enforced by the Kubernetes API and your CNI plugin.

An NDA in this context isn’t about paper contracts. It’s about protecting data under legal agreements by enforcing strict network isolation. When sensitive workloads fall under a non-disclosure agreement, Kubernetes Network Policies become part of compliance. They block unauthorized traffic, prevent data leaks, and give you an auditable security layer.

To use network policies effectively:

1. Label pods consistently. Policies rely on selectors.
2. Start with a default deny policy for ingress and egress.
3. Add explicit allow rules only for required communication paths.
4. Verify your CNI supports network policy enforcement. Calico, Cilium, and Weave Net are common choices.
5. Test policies in staging before pushing to production.

Example basic deny-all policy:

apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: NetworkPolicy
metadata:
 name: default-deny
 namespace: sensitive
spec:
 podSelector: {}
 policyTypes:
 - Ingress
 - Egress

This blocks all connections to and from pods in the sensitive namespace until you explicitly open them. Add allow rules for the minimal set of trusted pods and external services that comply with your NDA.

The cost of getting network boundaries wrong in an NDA project is high. The fix is direct: treat every packet as a potential liability until allowed by policy. Kubernetes Network Policies give you deterministic control over that boundary.

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