sec-design-deep-analysis.md

Deep Security Analysis of Apache SkyWalking

1. Objective, Scope, and Methodology

Objective:

This deep security analysis aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the security posture of Apache SkyWalking, focusing on its architecture, key components, and data flow as inferred from the provided security design review and publicly available project information. The analysis will identify potential security vulnerabilities and risks specific to SkyWalking and recommend actionable, tailored mitigation strategies to enhance its security.

Scope:

The scope of this analysis encompasses the following key components of SkyWalking, as identified in the design review:

• Agent: Focusing on data collection, instrumentation, and communication with the Collector.
• Collector: Analyzing data ingestion, processing, aggregation, and routing to Storage and Query Engine.
• Storage: Examining persistent data storage mechanisms and associated security concerns.
• Query Engine: Assessing API security, data retrieval, and access control.
• SkyWalking UI: Evaluating web application security, user authentication, and data visualization aspects.
• Deployment (Kubernetes): Considering security implications within a Kubernetes deployment environment.
• Build Process (CI/CD): Analyzing security practices within the software development lifecycle.

The analysis will primarily focus on the security aspects outlined in the provided design review document, including business and security posture, design diagrams, and risk assessment. It will also leverage publicly available SkyWalking documentation and codebase insights to infer architectural details and potential vulnerabilities.

Methodology:

This analysis will employ the following methodology:

1. Document Review: Thoroughly analyze the provided security design review document, including business posture, security posture, design diagrams (C4 Context, Container, Deployment, Build), risk assessment, questions, and assumptions.
2. Architecture Inference: Based on the design review and publicly available SkyWalking documentation and codebase (github.com/apache/skywalking), infer the detailed architecture, component interactions, and data flow within the SkyWalking system.
3. Threat Modeling: Identify potential threats and vulnerabilities for each key component, considering common attack vectors relevant to distributed systems, web applications, and data processing pipelines.
4. Security Control Mapping: Map existing, recommended, and required security controls from the design review to the identified threats and components.
5. Risk Assessment: Evaluate the potential impact and likelihood of identified threats, considering the business risks outlined in the design review.
6. Mitigation Strategy Development: Develop specific, actionable, and tailored mitigation strategies for each identified threat, focusing on SkyWalking-specific configurations, features, and best practices.
7. Recommendation Prioritization: Prioritize mitigation strategies based on risk level and feasibility of implementation.

2. Security Implications of Key Components

Based on the design review and inferred architecture, the following security implications are identified for each key component:

2.1. Agent

• Functionality: Instruments applications, collects telemetry data (traces, metrics, logs), and transmits it to the Collector. Agents are language-specific and deployed within monitored applications.

• Security Implications:

  • Data Exfiltration: Agents, if compromised, could be used to exfiltrate sensitive data from monitored applications by sending malicious telemetry data or exploiting vulnerabilities in the agent itself.
  • Performance Impact: Misconfigured or vulnerable agents could introduce performance overhead on monitored applications, potentially leading to denial of service.
  • Agent-Collector Communication Security: Unsecured communication between agents and collectors could lead to telemetry data interception, tampering, or injection of malicious data.
  • Agent Configuration Vulnerabilities: Insecure agent configurations (e.g., exposed configuration endpoints, weak credentials) could be exploited to compromise the agent and potentially the monitored application.
  • Dependency Vulnerabilities: Agents, being software components, may rely on third-party libraries with known vulnerabilities.

• Specific Security Considerations:

  • Secure Agent Configuration (SC-Agent-1): The design review mentions "Secure configuration of SkyWalking agents." This is crucial to prevent misconfigurations that could weaken security.
  • Minimal Permissions (SC-Agent-2): Agents should operate with the least privileges necessary to perform their function within the monitored application environment.
  • Secure Communication with Collector (TLS) (SC-Agent-3): TLS encryption is essential for protecting telemetry data in transit between agents and collectors.

• Tailored Recommendations & Mitigation Strategies:

  • Recommendation Agent-1: Implement Mutual TLS (mTLS) for Agent-Collector Communication.
    • Mitigation: Configure SkyWalking agents and collectors to use mTLS for authentication and encryption. This ensures that both the agent and collector verify each other's identities, preventing unauthorized agents from sending data and protecting against man-in-the-middle attacks. Refer to SkyWalking documentation on enabling TLS and consider certificate management best practices.
  • Recommendation Agent-2: Regularly Update Agent Dependencies and Perform Vulnerability Scanning.
    • Mitigation: Integrate dependency scanning into the CI/CD pipeline for agent builds. Regularly update agent dependencies to patch known vulnerabilities. Utilize tools like OWASP Dependency-Check or Snyk to identify and remediate vulnerable dependencies.
  • Recommendation Agent-3: Implement Agent Configuration Hardening.
    • Mitigation: Document and enforce secure configuration guidelines for SkyWalking agents. This includes:
      • Disabling unnecessary agent features and plugins.
      • Restricting agent access to sensitive resources within the application environment.
      • Securely managing agent configuration files and credentials (if any).
      • Implementing input validation on agent configuration parameters.
  • Recommendation Agent-4: Implement Rate Limiting on Agent Telemetry Data.
    • Mitigation: Configure rate limiting on the Collector to prevent malicious agents from overwhelming the system with excessive telemetry data, potentially causing denial of service or masking legitimate data.

2.2. Collector

• Functionality: Receives telemetry data from agents, processes and aggregates it, and forwards it to Storage and Query Engine.

• Security Implications:

  • Data Injection/Tampering: If agent-collector communication is compromised or input validation is insufficient, malicious actors could inject or tamper with telemetry data, leading to inaccurate monitoring and potentially misleading operational decisions.
  • Denial of Service (DoS): Collectors are a central point for data ingestion. They are vulnerable to DoS attacks if overwhelmed with excessive or malformed data from agents or malicious sources.
  • Input Validation Vulnerabilities (SC-Collector-1): The design review highlights "Input validation" as a security control for the Collector. Lack of robust input validation can lead to various injection attacks.
  • Rate Limiting (SC-Collector-2): "Rate limiting" is also mentioned as a security control, essential to prevent DoS attacks and resource exhaustion.
  • Authentication for Agent Connections (SC-Collector-3): "Authentication for agent connections" is crucial to ensure only authorized agents can send data.
  • Secure Communication with Agents and Storage (TLS) (SC-Collector-4): TLS is needed for secure data transmission to and from the Collector.

• Specific Security Considerations:

  • Input Validation (SR-Input-Validation-1): Requirement to validate all inputs from agents to prevent injection attacks.
  • Secure Communication Channels (SR-Cryptography-3): Enforce HTTPS/TLS for all communication channels, including agent-collector and collector-storage.

• Tailored Recommendations & Mitigation Strategies:

  • Recommendation Collector-1: Implement Robust Input Validation and Sanitization on Telemetry Data.
    • Mitigation: Implement strict input validation on all telemetry data received by the Collector. This includes:
      • Validating data format and schema against expected telemetry data structures.
      • Sanitizing input data to prevent injection attacks (e.g., SQL injection, NoSQL injection, log injection).
      • Using data type validation and range checks to ensure data integrity.
      • Leverage SkyWalking's configuration options for data sanitization and schema validation if available.
  • Recommendation Collector-2: Enforce Agent Authentication and Authorization.
    • Mitigation: Implement a robust authentication mechanism for agents connecting to the Collector. This could involve:
      • Using API keys or tokens for agent authentication.
      • Implementing mutual TLS (mTLS) as recommended earlier (Agent-1).
      • Implementing authorization policies to control which agents are allowed to send data and what type of data they can send.
  • Recommendation Collector-3: Implement Rate Limiting and Traffic Shaping.
    • Mitigation: Configure rate limiting on the Collector to restrict the number of requests and data volume from individual agents or sources within a specific timeframe. Implement traffic shaping to prioritize legitimate traffic and mitigate potential DoS attacks.
  • Recommendation Collector-4: Secure Collector-Storage Communication with TLS.
    • Mitigation: Ensure that communication between the Collector and the Storage component is encrypted using TLS. Configure the Collector and Storage components to use TLS and manage certificates securely.

2.3. Storage

• Functionality: Persistently stores telemetry data. Supports various storage options like Elasticsearch, Apache Cassandra, databases.

• Security Implications:

  • Data Breach/Exposure: If storage is not properly secured, sensitive telemetry data could be exposed to unauthorized access, leading to data breaches and privacy violations.
  • Data Integrity and Availability: Compromised storage could lead to data corruption, loss, or unavailability, impacting the reliability of the observability platform.
  • Access Control (SC-Storage-1): "Access control" to storage systems is a critical security control.
  • Data Encryption at Rest (SC-Storage-2 & SR-Cryptography-1): "Data encryption at rest" is essential for protecting sensitive data stored persistently.
  • Backup and Recovery (SC-Storage-3): "Backup and recovery" mechanisms are important for data availability and resilience.
  • Regular Security Patching (SC-Storage-4): Storage systems and underlying infrastructure require regular security patching.

• Specific Security Considerations:

  • Data Sensitivity (Risk Assessment): Telemetry data can contain sensitive information, requiring appropriate protection in storage.
  • Compliance Requirements (Questions): Specific compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) may dictate data storage security measures.

• Tailored Recommendations & Mitigation Strategies:

  • Recommendation Storage-1: Implement Strong Access Control and Authentication for Storage Systems.
    • Mitigation: Enforce strict access control policies for the storage system used by SkyWalking. This includes:
      • Implementing role-based access control (RBAC) to restrict access to storage resources based on the principle of least privilege.
      • Utilizing strong authentication mechanisms (e.g., password policies, multi-factor authentication) for accessing storage systems.
      • Regularly review and audit access control configurations.
  • Recommendation Storage-2: Implement Data Encryption at Rest.
    • Mitigation: Enable data encryption at rest for the storage system. This can be achieved through:
      • Storage provider encryption features (e.g., Elasticsearch encryption at rest, Cassandra encryption).
      • Operating system-level encryption (e.g., LUKS, BitLocker).
      • Database-level encryption (if using a database for storage).
      • Securely manage encryption keys and follow key management best practices.
  • Recommendation Storage-3: Implement Regular Security Patching and Hardening of Storage Infrastructure.
    • Mitigation: Establish a process for regularly patching and updating the storage system and underlying infrastructure (operating system, hardware). Follow security hardening guidelines for the chosen storage technology to minimize the attack surface.
  • Recommendation Storage-4: Implement Data Backup and Recovery Procedures.
    • Mitigation: Implement robust backup and recovery procedures for telemetry data stored in the storage system. Regularly test backup and recovery processes to ensure data availability and resilience in case of failures or security incidents.

2.4. Query Engine

• Functionality: Provides APIs (GraphQL, REST) for querying and retrieving telemetry data from Storage.

• Security Implications:

  • Unauthorized Data Access: Insufficient authentication and authorization controls could allow unauthorized users to access sensitive telemetry data through the Query Engine APIs.
  • API Vulnerabilities: Query Engine APIs may be vulnerable to common API security issues like injection attacks, broken authentication, and excessive data exposure.
  • Input Validation (SC-QueryEngine-1 & SR-Input-Validation-1): "Input validation" is crucial for API security to prevent injection attacks.
  • Authentication and Authorization for API Access (SC-QueryEngine-2 & SR-Authentication-1, SR-Authorization-1): Robust authentication and authorization are essential to control access to the Query Engine APIs.
  • Rate Limiting (SC-QueryEngine-3): "Rate limiting" is needed to prevent API abuse and DoS attacks.
  • Secure Communication with UI (TLS) (SC-QueryEngine-4 & SR-Cryptography-3): TLS is required for secure communication between the UI and Query Engine.

• Specific Security Considerations:

  • API Security Best Practices: Query Engine APIs should adhere to API security best practices.
  • RBAC (SR-Authorization-2): Requirement to implement role-based access control for user permissions.
  • Least Privilege (SR-Authorization-3): Enforce least privilege principle for user access to data.
  • Audit Logging (SR-Authorization-4): Audit user access and authorization decisions.

• Tailored Recommendations & Mitigation Strategies:

  • Recommendation QueryEngine-1: Implement Strong Authentication and Authorization for Query Engine APIs.
    • Mitigation: Implement robust authentication and authorization mechanisms for accessing Query Engine APIs. This includes:
      • Enforcing authentication for all API requests.
      • Implementing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to manage user permissions and restrict access to specific telemetry data based on roles.
      • Integrating with existing identity providers (e.g., LDAP, OAuth 2.0) as per requirement SR-Authentication-2.
      • Enforce the principle of least privilege, granting users only the necessary permissions to access data.
      • Audit user access and authorization decisions as per requirement SR-Authorization-4.
  • Recommendation QueryEngine-2: Implement API Input Validation and Output Encoding.
    • Mitigation: Implement thorough input validation for all API requests to prevent injection attacks. Sanitize and encode output data to prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities when data is displayed in the UI.
  • Recommendation QueryEngine-3: Implement API Rate Limiting and Throttling.
    • Mitigation: Configure rate limiting and throttling for Query Engine APIs to prevent abuse, DoS attacks, and resource exhaustion.
  • Recommendation QueryEngine-4: Secure UI-Query Engine Communication with HTTPS.
    • Mitigation: Ensure all communication between the SkyWalking UI and the Query Engine is encrypted using HTTPS. Configure the Query Engine to enforce HTTPS and manage TLS certificates securely.

2.5. SkyWalking UI

• Functionality: Web-based user interface for visualizing and analyzing telemetry data.

• Security Implications:

  • Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): If input validation and output encoding are insufficient, the UI could be vulnerable to XSS attacks, allowing malicious scripts to be injected and executed in user browsers.
  • Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF): Lack of CSRF protection could allow attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users.
  • Authentication and Authorization (SC-UI-1 & SR-Authentication-1, SR-Authorization-1): Robust authentication and authorization are essential to control access to the UI and its functionalities.
  • Input Validation (SC-UI-2 & SR-Input-Validation-1): "Input validation" is needed to prevent injection attacks through UI inputs.
  • Output Encoding (SC-UI-3 & SR-Input-Validation-2): "Output encoding" is crucial to prevent XSS vulnerabilities.
  • Secure Communication with Query Engine (TLS) (SC-UI-4 & SR-Cryptography-3): TLS is required for secure communication between the UI and Query Engine.
  • Content Security Policy (CSP) (SC-UI-5): "Content Security Policy (CSP)" is a recommended security control to mitigate XSS risks.

• Specific Security Considerations:

  • Web Application Security Best Practices: The UI should adhere to web application security best practices.
  • MFA (SR-Authentication-3): Requirement to implement multi-factor authentication for enhanced security.
  • Sanitize User Data (SR-Input-Validation-2): Requirement to sanitize user-provided data before displaying it in the UI.

• Tailored Recommendations & Mitigation Strategies:

  • Recommendation UI-1: Implement Robust Input Validation and Output Encoding.
    • Mitigation: Implement thorough input validation for all user inputs in the UI to prevent injection attacks. Sanitize and encode all output data displayed in the UI to prevent XSS vulnerabilities. Utilize a robust templating engine that automatically handles output encoding.
  • Recommendation UI-2: Implement Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Protection.
    • Mitigation: Implement CSRF protection mechanisms in the UI framework to prevent CSRF attacks. Utilize techniques like synchronizer tokens or double-submit cookies.
  • Recommendation UI-3: Enforce Strong Authentication and Authorization for UI Access.
    • Mitigation: Implement robust authentication and authorization for accessing the SkyWalking UI. This includes:
      • Enforcing authentication for all UI access.
      • Implementing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to manage user permissions and restrict access to specific UI features and data based on roles.
      • Integrating with existing identity providers (e.g., LDAP, OAuth 2.0) as per requirement SR-Authentication-2.
      • Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for enhanced security as per requirement SR-Authentication-3.
  • Recommendation UI-4: Implement Content Security Policy (CSP).
    • Mitigation: Implement a strict Content Security Policy (CSP) to mitigate XSS risks. Configure CSP headers to restrict the sources from which the browser is allowed to load resources, reducing the impact of potential XSS vulnerabilities.
  • Recommendation UI-5: Secure UI-Query Engine Communication with HTTPS.
    • Mitigation: Ensure all communication between the SkyWalking UI and the Query Engine is encrypted using HTTPS. Configure the UI to enforce HTTPS and manage TLS certificates securely.

2.6. Deployment (Kubernetes)

• Functionality: SkyWalking components are deployed in a Kubernetes cluster.

• Security Implications:

  • Kubernetes Security Misconfigurations: Misconfigurations in the Kubernetes cluster itself can introduce security vulnerabilities, affecting SkyWalking deployment.
  • Container Security: Vulnerabilities in container images or insecure container configurations can be exploited.
  • Network Segmentation and Policies (SC-Kubernetes-1): "Network policies" are crucial for isolating SkyWalking components and limiting network access.
  • RBAC for Kubernetes API Access (SC-Kubernetes-2): "RBAC for Kubernetes API access" is essential to control access to Kubernetes resources.
  • Container Security Context (SC-Kubernetes-3): "Container security context" should be used to enhance container security.
  • Regular Security Patching of Kubernetes Nodes (SC-Kubernetes-4): Kubernetes nodes require regular security patching.

• Specific Security Considerations:

  • Namespace Isolation (Namespace: skywalking): Using a dedicated namespace for SkyWalking provides resource isolation.
  • Service Accounts (Service: Collector, Service: Query Engine, Service: UI): Kubernetes Service Accounts should be configured with least privileges.
  • Ingress Security (Ingress: UI): Ingress controller and TLS configuration for UI access are important security aspects.

• Tailored Recommendations & Mitigation Strategies:

  • Recommendation Kubernetes-1: Implement Network Policies for Namespace Isolation and Component Segmentation.
    • Mitigation: Implement Kubernetes Network Policies to isolate the SkyWalking namespace and segment network traffic between SkyWalking components. Restrict network access to only necessary ports and protocols between components.
  • Recommendation Kubernetes-2: Apply Kubernetes RBAC with Least Privilege for Service Accounts and User Access.
    • Mitigation: Implement Kubernetes RBAC to control access to Kubernetes API resources and SkyWalking components. Configure Service Accounts for SkyWalking pods with the least privileges necessary. Enforce RBAC for user access to the Kubernetes cluster and SkyWalking namespace.
  • Recommendation Kubernetes-3: Implement Container Security Contexts and Security Hardening.
    • Mitigation: Apply Kubernetes Security Contexts to pods and containers to enhance security. This includes:
      • Running containers as non-root users.
      • Using read-only root filesystems.
      • Implementing capabilities restrictions.
      • Applying seccomp profiles.
      • Utilizing AppArmor or SELinux for mandatory access control.
    • Harden container images by removing unnecessary tools and libraries. Regularly scan container images for vulnerabilities.
  • Recommendation Kubernetes-4: Secure Kubernetes Ingress Configuration and Implement WAF.
    • Mitigation: Securely configure the Kubernetes Ingress controller used to expose the SkyWalking UI. This includes:
      • Enforcing HTTPS and properly configuring TLS certificates.
      • Implementing rate limiting and traffic shaping at the Ingress level.
      • Consider integrating a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with the Ingress controller to protect against common web application attacks.
  • Recommendation Kubernetes-5: Regularly Patch and Update Kubernetes Cluster and Nodes.
    • Mitigation: Establish a process for regularly patching and updating the Kubernetes cluster control plane and worker nodes to address security vulnerabilities. Follow Kubernetes security best practices and security advisories.

2.7. Build Process (CI/CD)

• Functionality: Automated build, test, and deployment pipeline using GitHub Actions.

• Security Implications:

  • Compromised CI/CD Pipeline: A compromised CI/CD pipeline can be used to inject malicious code into SkyWalking artifacts or deployment environment.
  • Supply Chain Attacks: Vulnerabilities in dependencies or build tools can be exploited to compromise the software supply chain.
  • Secure CI/CD Configuration (SC-CI/CD-1): "Secure CI/CD configuration" is crucial to prevent pipeline compromise.
  • Secret Management (SC-CI/CD-2): "Secret management" is essential to protect sensitive credentials used in the CI/CD pipeline.
  • Build Environment Security (SC-CI/CD-3): "Build environment security" is important to ensure the integrity of the build process.
  • SAST and Dependency Scanning Tools (SC-CI/CD-4 & Recommended Security Controls): "SAST and dependency scanning tools" are essential for identifying vulnerabilities early in the development lifecycle.

• Specific Security Considerations:

  • Code Review Process (Existing Security Control): Code review helps identify security vulnerabilities in code changes.
  • Dependency Scanning (Existing Security Control): Dependency scanning should be integrated into the build process.
  • Automated Security Scanning (SAST/DAST) (Recommended Security Control): Implement SAST/DAST in the CI/CD pipeline.

• Tailored Recommendations & Mitigation Strategies:

  • Recommendation CI/CD-1: Implement Secure CI/CD Pipeline Configuration and Hardening.
    • Mitigation: Harden the CI/CD pipeline configuration and environment. This includes:
      • Applying least privilege principles to CI/CD pipeline permissions.
      • Implementing strong authentication and authorization for accessing the CI/CD system.
      • Regularly audit CI/CD pipeline configurations and access logs.
      • Secure the build environment by using hardened build agents and restricting network access.
  • Recommendation CI/CD-2: Implement Robust Secret Management.
    • Mitigation: Implement a secure secret management solution for managing credentials and sensitive information used in the CI/CD pipeline. Avoid storing secrets directly in code or CI/CD configurations. Utilize tools like HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, or GitHub Secrets for secure secret storage and retrieval.
  • Recommendation CI/CD-3: Integrate Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) into the CI/CD Pipeline.
    • Mitigation: Integrate SAST and DAST tools into the CI/CD pipeline to automatically scan code and deployed applications for security vulnerabilities. Configure SAST to scan code changes for common vulnerabilities during the build process. Implement DAST to scan deployed SkyWalking components for runtime vulnerabilities.
  • Recommendation CI/CD-4: Enhance Dependency Scanning and Software Composition Analysis (SCA).
    • Mitigation: Enhance dependency scanning by implementing Software Composition Analysis (SCA) tools in the CI/CD pipeline. SCA tools provide more comprehensive analysis of dependencies, including license compliance and vulnerability information. Regularly update dependency scanning databases and remediate identified vulnerabilities.
  • Recommendation CI/CD-5: Implement Artifact Signing and Verification.
    • Mitigation: Implement artifact signing for build artifacts (e.g., container images, binaries) to ensure their integrity and authenticity. Use cryptographic signing to sign artifacts during the build process and implement verification mechanisms to verify signatures before deployment.

3. Actionable and Tailored Mitigation Strategies Summary

Recommendation Category	Recommendation ID	Mitigation Strategy Summary	Component(s) Affected	Security Requirement/Control Addressed
Agent Security	Agent-1	Implement Mutual TLS (mTLS) for Agent-Collector Communication	Agent, Collector	SC-Agent-3, SC-Collector-4, SR-Cryptography-3
Agent Security	Agent-2	Regularly Update Agent Dependencies and Perform Vulnerability Scanning	Agent	Accepted Risk: Third-party dependencies, Dependency Scanning
Agent Security	Agent-3	Implement Agent Configuration Hardening	Agent	SC-Agent-1, SC-Agent-2, Accepted Risk: Misconfiguration
Agent Security	Agent-4	Implement Rate Limiting on Agent Telemetry Data	Collector	SC-Collector-2, Rate Limiting
Collector Security	Collector-1	Implement Robust Input Validation and Sanitization on Telemetry Data	Collector	SC-Collector-1, SR-Input-Validation-1
Collector Security	Collector-2	Enforce Agent Authentication and Authorization	Collector	SC-Collector-3, Authentication for Agent Connections
Collector Security	Collector-3	Implement Rate Limiting and Traffic Shaping	Collector	SC-Collector-2, Rate Limiting
Collector Security	Collector-4	Secure Collector-Storage Communication with TLS	Collector, Storage	SC-Collector-4, SR-Cryptography-3
Storage Security	Storage-1	Implement Strong Access Control and Authentication for Storage Systems	Storage	SC-Storage-1, Access Control
Storage Security	Storage-2	Implement Data Encryption at Rest	Storage	SC-Storage-2, SR-Cryptography-1
Storage Security	Storage-3	Implement Regular Security Patching and Hardening of Storage Infrastructure	Storage	SC-Storage-4, Regular Security Patching
Storage Security	Storage-4	Implement Data Backup and Recovery Procedures	Storage	SC-Storage-3, Backup and Recovery
Query Engine Security	QueryEngine-1	Implement Strong Authentication and Authorization for Query Engine APIs	Query Engine	SC-QueryEngine-2, SR-Authentication-1, SR-Authorization-1, SR-Authorization-2, SR-Authorization-3, SR-Authorization-4
Query Engine Security	QueryEngine-2	Implement API Input Validation and Output Encoding	Query Engine	SC-QueryEngine-1, SR-Input-Validation-1, SR-Input-Validation-2
Query Engine Security	QueryEngine-3	Implement API Rate Limiting and Throttling	Query Engine	SC-QueryEngine-3, Rate Limiting
Query Engine Security	QueryEngine-4	Secure UI-Query Engine Communication with HTTPS	Query Engine, UI	SC-QueryEngine-4, SR-Cryptography-3
UI Security	UI-1	Implement Robust Input Validation and Output Encoding	UI	SC-UI-2, SC-UI-3, SR-Input-Validation-1, SR-Input-Validation-2
UI Security	UI-2	Implement Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Protection	UI	Web Application Security Best Practices
UI Security	UI-3	Enforce Strong Authentication and Authorization for UI Access	UI	SC-UI-1, SR-Authentication-1, SR-Authentication-2, SR-Authentication-3, SR-Authorization-1, SR-Authorization-2, SR-Authorization-3, SR-Authorization-4
UI Security	UI-4	Implement Content Security Policy (CSP)	UI	SC-UI-5, Content Security Policy (CSP)
UI Security	UI-5	Secure UI-Query Engine Communication with HTTPS	UI, Query Engine	SC-UI-4, SR-Cryptography-3
Kubernetes Security	Kubernetes-1	Implement Network Policies for Namespace Isolation and Component Segmentation	Kubernetes Cluster	SC-Kubernetes-1, Network Policies
Kubernetes Security	Kubernetes-2	Apply Kubernetes RBAC with Least Privilege for Service Accounts and User Access	Kubernetes Cluster	SC-Kubernetes-2, RBAC for Kubernetes API Access
Kubernetes Security	Kubernetes-3	Implement Container Security Contexts and Security Hardening	Kubernetes Cluster	SC-Kubernetes-3, Container Security Context
Kubernetes Security	Kubernetes-4	Secure Kubernetes Ingress Configuration and Implement WAF	Kubernetes Cluster	Ingress Security, WAF Integration
Kubernetes Security	Kubernetes-5	Regularly Patch and Update Kubernetes Cluster and Nodes	Kubernetes Cluster	SC-Kubernetes-4, Regular Security Patching of Kubernetes Nodes
CI/CD Security	CI/CD-1	Implement Secure CI/CD Pipeline Configuration and Hardening	CI/CD Pipeline	SC-CI/CD-1, Secure CI/CD Configuration
CI/CD Security	CI/CD-2	Implement Robust Secret Management	CI/CD Pipeline	SC-CI/CD-2, Secret Management
CI/CD Security	CI/CD-3	Integrate Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) into the CI/CD Pipeline	CI/CD Pipeline	SC-CI/CD-4, Recommended Security Controls: SAST/DAST
CI/CD Security	CI/CD-4	Enhance Dependency Scanning and Software Composition Analysis (SCA)	CI/CD Pipeline	Dependency Scanning, Recommended Security Controls: Dependency Scanning
CI/CD Security	CI/CD-5	Implement Artifact Signing and Verification	CI/CD Pipeline	Artifact Integrity, Supply Chain Security

This deep security analysis provides a tailored and actionable roadmap for enhancing the security posture of Apache SkyWalking. Implementing these recommendations will significantly mitigate identified risks and contribute to a more secure and robust observability platform. Remember to prioritize mitigation strategies based on your organization's risk tolerance and compliance requirements. Regularly review and update these security measures as the SkyWalking project evolves and new threats emerge.