In financial services, infrastructure security and compliance are non-negotiable. From protecting customer data to passing rigorous audits, organizations need fine-grained access control, robust authentication, and full visibility into user activity.
At Hashstudioz Technologies, we implemented a highly secure access management system for a financial domain project that required:
- Strict control over server and database access.
- Role-based permissions and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Centralized audit logs and full session recordings.
- A cloud-agnostic solution that works across hybrid environments.
To achieve this, we chose Teleport OSS, an open-source access plane that brings enterprise-grade security features in a lightweight and scalable package.
Table of Contents
Why We Chose Teleport OSS
Traditional VPN- or SSH key-based solutions weren’t enough for our client’s strict compliance needs. Teleport OSS stood out because it offers:
- Identity-Based Access: Authenticate users via SSO/OIDC without managing SSH keys.
- Audit-Ready Logs: Centralized storage of logs and session recordings for every action.
- Built-in RBAC & MFA: Enforces least-privilege access and zero-trust principles.
- Cloud-Agnostic Flexibility: Works across AWS, Kubernetes clusters, on-prem servers, and databases.
This open-source solution allowed us to eliminate operational overhead while meeting security and regulatory requirements.
Our Implementation Approach
1. Architecture Design
We designed a multi-layer access flow where all users connected through a Teleport Proxy. The Teleport Auth Server enforced policies, issued short-lived certificates, and logged all activity. Teleport Agents were deployed across servers, Kubernetes nodes, and databases to provide full coverage.
2. Authentication & Authorization
- Integrated with a corporate OIDC-based Identity Provider (IdP) for single sign-on.
- Enforced multi-factor authentication for all privileged accounts.
- Designed role-based access control (RBAC) for developers, auditors, and DevOps teams.
3. Centralized Logging & Monitoring
- Enabled full session recording for SSH and Kubernetes access.
- Integrated logs with a SIEM solution (Splunk) for real-time anomaly detection and compliance reporting.
- Used immutable cloud storage for session archives, meeting audit and retention requirements.
4. Operational Automation
We automated node enrollment using configuration-as-code tools like Terraform, allowing rapid and consistent rollout of Teleport agents across environments.
Results & Impact
- Zero-Trust Access: No direct server credentials—only short-lived certificates issued per session.
- Regulatory Compliance: Session recordings and logs supported strict audit requirements.
- Operational Efficiency: Engineers accessed systems securely via a unified portal, reducing friction.
- Reduced Attack Surface: Eliminated SSH key sprawl and minimized misconfigurations.
- Future-Proof Setup: Teleport OSS supported hybrid and multi-cloud deployments seamlessly.
Lessons Learned
- RBAC Planning is Critical: Mapping access needs early made audits straightforward.
- Centralized Log Management: Teleport logs integrated with SIEM tools simplified alerting.
- Automation is a Must: Infrastructure-as-Code ensured repeatable, secure deployments.
- High Availability Matters: Deploying redundant Auth Servers ensured uptime and resilience.
Scalability & Future Readiness with Teleport OSS
Our implementation using Teleport OSS ensures long-term scalability and adaptability for growing infrastructure. Key benefits include:
- Seamless Multi-Cloud & Hybrid Support
Scales effortlessly across AWS, on-prem data centers, and hybrid environments without requiring major architectural changes. - Broad System Compatibility
Supports secure access to Kubernetes clusters, Linux servers, and various databases—enabling smooth onboarding of new systems and services. - Identity-Driven Access Control
Uses certificate-based authentication tied to user identity, eliminating the need for static SSH keys and reducing attack surfaces. - Compliance-Ready Architecture
Adapts quickly to evolving regulatory requirements with centralized logging, full session recording, and audit trails.
Why Choose Hashstudioz Technologies for Your Security Needs?
At Hashstudioz Technologies, we specialize in building secure, scalable, and compliant infrastructure solutions tailored to your unique business requirements. Our expertise with Teleport OSS and cloud-native security architectures empowers financial institutions to meet stringent regulatory demands while streamlining operations.
Why partner with Hashstudioz?
- Proven track record in delivering enterprise-grade security solutions.
- Customized implementations aligned with your compliance frameworks.
- Skilled team experienced in automation, monitoring, and access control.
- End-to-end support from design and deployment to ongoing maintenance.
- Flexible, cloud-agnostic approaches that fit hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
Ready to safeguard your infrastructure with a future-proof, zero-trust access management system?
Connect with HashStudioz today and turn your vision into a reality that makes a difference.
Conclusion
Our successful deployment of Teleport OSS in this financial services project demonstrated how open-source technology can deliver enterprise-grade security. By leveraging Teleport’s identity-based authentication, RBAC, MFA, and detailed audit logging, we built a secure, compliant, and developer-friendly access solution. At Hashstudioz Technologies, we help organizations adopt DevSecOps best practices to safeguard infrastructure while enabling agility. If your organization is looking to strengthen its security posture with a zero-trust access solution, we’d be happy to collaborate.
Himanshu Jain