Modern cloud-native systems rely on highly dynamic, distributed infrastructure where containers are constantly adjusting, services interact across clusters, and traditional networking principles are challenged. Linux networking, designed decades ago for static IPs and linear rule processing, now struggles to scale in Kubernetes settings. Updating the Linux kernel to meet these needs is typically slow, risky, and impractical for most businesses.
The Extended Berkeley Packet Filter (eBPF) is a Linux kernel technology enabling sandboxed programs to execute securely within the kernel without altering the kernel’s source code or loading modules. Cilium is a cloud-native networking platform built on eBPF, offering connectivity, security, and observability for workloads in Kubernetes and other distributed environments.
Bill Mulligan, a maintainer in the Cilium ecosystem and part of the Isovalent team—the company behind Cilium—joins Gregor Vand on the show. They discuss how eBPF operates, the widespread adoption of Cilium in Kubernetes networking, and the transformation of cloud-native infrastructure through programmable kernels.
Gregor Vand, a security-focused technologist formerly serving as a CTO in cybersecurity, cyber insurance, and software engineering companies, is based in Singapore and reachable via vand.hk or LinkedIn.
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