AdvancedTechnical
5 min
eBPF-Based Observability and Security
LinuxObservabilitySecurity
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Interview Question
Describe how you would leverage eBPF for deep observability and runtime security in production Linux systems.
Key Points to Cover
- Use eBPF to trace syscalls, network flows, and kernel events with low overhead
- Deploy tools like Cilium, Falco, or BCC/BPFtrace
- Detect anomalous behaviors and enforce network policies
- Correlate kernel-level signals with app telemetry
Evaluation Rubric
Explains what eBPF enables safely35% weight
Selects appropriate eBPF tooling25% weight
Designs anomaly detection and alerting20% weight
Correlates signals with app metrics/logs20% weight
Hints
- 💡Mind kernel compatibility and verifier limits.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- ⚠️Over-reliance on a single tool without understanding its underlying eBPF implementation.
- ⚠️Insufficient understanding of kernel internals leading to incorrect eBPF program logic.
- ⚠️Neglecting eBPF program verification and potential for kernel panics in poorly written programs.
- ⚠️Lack of robust monitoring and alerting on eBPF program performance and error rates.
- ⚠️Underestimating the complexity of managing and evolving eBPF programs as the kernel and application landscape changes.
Potential Follow-up Questions
- ❓What are the risks of kprobes?
- ❓How do you sandbox eBPF programs?
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