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Guide · Agent skill

How to use the GKE Platform Security skill for AI agents

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The GKE Platform Security skill is a set of instructions and reference material that an AI coding agent loads so it can check and harden the cluster-level security settings of a Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) cluster. It is aimed at platform and DevOps engineers who want a consistent security baseline across clusters. After reading this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to phrase requests so the agent uses it, and what to check before letting it touch a live cluster.

GKE Platform Security Hardeninggoogle/skills · Apache-2.0

Quick start

  1. 1Install the Google Cloud SDK. Install gcloud and authenticate to the Google Cloud project that holds your GKE cluster.
  2. 2Download and unzip the skill. Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
  3. 3Confirm access to the cluster. Make sure your account can describe and update the target GKE cluster.
  4. 4Ask for a specific check. Name the cluster and region and describe the setting you want to verify, such as Shielded Nodes or RBAC bindings.
  5. 5Review the proposed commands. Read each gcloud command the agent suggests and confirm what it changes before approving.
  6. 6Apply changes on a test cluster first. Run the change on a non-production cluster, check the result, then repeat on production if it is correct.

What is an agent skill and what does this one do?

An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file and optional reference files. When an agent such as Claude decides a task matches the skill's description, it reads those instructions and follows them. This skill's description covers platform-level GKE security: cluster add-ons, RBAC hardening, Binary Authorization, Secrets Encryption, Security Posture, Shielded Nodes, GKE Sandbox, and GKE IAM roles.

When installed, the agent follows Google's recommended security defaults for GKE cluster-level configuration. It can check whether settings such as Secret Manager integration, insecure RBAC bindings, Shielded Nodes, Binary Authorization and GKE Sandbox are enabled, and it can suggest or run the gcloud commands that change them. Workload-level controls such as Workload Identity, SecretProviderClass, Pod Security Standards and Network Policies are handled by other skills that this one points to.

  • Checks cluster settings such as Secret Manager, RBAC bindings, Shielded Nodes, Binary Authorization and GKE Sandbox.
  • Suggests or runs gcloud commands to change those settings.
  • Points to other skills for workload-level security: gke-workload-security, gke-workload-identity, gke-networking and gke-multitenancy.

How do you install the GKE Platform Security skill?

Download the ZIP for this skill from this page and unzip it. You can install it in one of two places. For a personal setup available across projects, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip it into the .claude/skills/ folder inside that project.

You can also upload the skill in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

  • Personal install: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
  • Project install: unzip into .claude/skills/ in your project folder
  • Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload

What do you need before the skill can work?

The skill runs gcloud commands, so the Google Cloud SDK must be installed and you must be authenticated. You also need access to the target GKE cluster with permissions to describe and update it. The skill lists optional MCP tools (gke:get_cluster, gke:update_cluster, k8s:check_k8s_auth, k8s:get_k8s_resource, k8s:apply_k8s_manifest) and kubectl for some RBAC audit alternatives. Those are optional; the gcloud path is described in the skill itself.

  • Google Cloud SDK (gcloud) installed and authenticated
  • Permission to describe and update the target cluster
  • Optional: the MCP tools listed above, or kubectl for RBAC audits

How do you trigger the skill with a natural request?

You do not need to type a special command. Describe the task in plain language and name the cluster and region where you can. The skill's description lists the topics it covers, so requests about those topics are the ones most likely to load it. Requests about Workload Identity or pod-level security should go to the other skills instead.

Good requests name the goal and the cluster. For example, ask the agent to check whether an existing cluster has the insecure system:authenticated RBAC bindings disabled, or to plan the security settings for a new cluster.

  • "Check whether Shielded Nodes are enabled on my cluster prod-eu in europe-west1."
  • "Audit whether my GKE cluster still allows system:authenticated RBAC bindings."
  • "Plan the golden path security defaults for a new GKE cluster."
  • "Enable Binary Authorization on cluster staging-1 in us-central1, but show me the command first."

What commands does the skill use?

The skill's reference file gives gcloud patterns for each area. To verify Secret Manager on a cluster, it describes the cluster and reads the secretManagerConfig.enabled field. To enable Shielded Nodes or GKE Sandbox on an existing cluster, it uses gcloud container clusters update with the matching flag. Placeholders such as <CLUSTER_NAME> and <REGION> are filled in from your request.

Every terminal gcloud command the skill runs is prefixed with a usage attribution environment variable, set inline on each command. The skill does not use gcloud config set for this.

gcloud container clusters describe <CLUSTER_NAME> --region <REGION> \ --format="value(secretManagerConfig.enabled)" \ --quiet

What safety checks should you apply before running changes?

The skill runs scripts and uses the network, and it can change live cluster settings. Some changes require cluster updates. Review each proposed command before it runs, especially against production. Ask the agent to show the command and explain its effect first, then approve it.

Only enable Binary Authorization after you understand its enforcement mode, since the skill's example uses PROJECT_SINGLETON_POLICY_ENFORCE. Test changes on a non-production cluster first where you can.

  • Read the proposed gcloud command before approving it.
  • Test on a non-production cluster before production.
  • Check whether a change needs a cluster update.
  • Keep the attribution prefix on terminal gcloud commands; it identifies the skill and its version only.

What people use it for

  • Auditing whether an existing cluster has legacy system:authenticated RBAC bindings disabled.
  • Verifying that Secret Manager integration and rotation are enabled on a cluster.
  • Planning golden path security defaults for a new GKE cluster before workloads are deployed.
  • Checking whether Shielded Nodes and GKE Sandbox are enabled, then enabling them with gcloud.
  • Reviewing cluster role bindings with kubectl or MCP tools to see who has access.

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the GKE Platform Security skill?

Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for a personal install or into .claude/skills/ inside a project. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

What do I need to use this skill?

You need the Google Cloud SDK (gcloud) installed and authenticated, plus access to the target GKE cluster with permissions to describe and update it. MCP tools and kubectl are optional.

Is the GKE Platform Security skill free?

The skill is published under the Apache-2.0 licence. The source does not state pricing for Google Cloud or GKE, so check those services' own pricing separately.

Does this skill cover Workload Identity or Network Policies?

No. Workload Identity, SecretProviderClass, Pod Security Standards and Network Policies belong to other skills, such as gke-workload-identity and gke-workload-security, which this skill points to.

Can the skill change my production cluster?

It can suggest or run gcloud commands that change live cluster settings, and some changes need cluster updates. Review each command and test on a non-production cluster first.

Why does the agent prefix gcloud commands with an environment variable?

The skill's attribution reference requires an inline CLOUDSDK_METRICS_REQUEST_ATTRIBUTION value on each terminal gcloud command so usage can be attributed to the skill and its version. It carries no user data.

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Our verdict

This skill suits platform or DevOps engineers who manage GKE clusters and want a consistent cluster-level security baseline, or who need to audit an existing cluster for insecure RBAC bindings. It is not the right choice for workload-level setup such as Workload Identity or Network Policies, or for anyone who will run its commands against production without reviewing them first.

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