Building a Lightning Fast Firewall with Java and eBPF

Discover how to build a high-throughput firewall by combining the power of eBPF and Java in this conference talk from NDC Security in Oslo. Explore the buzz around eBPF in the cloud native world and learn how this cutting-edge technology is reshaping performance, security, and observability within kernel space. Understand how Java's recent modernization efforts—including improved startup times, native execution capabilities, and machine learning advancements—complement eBPF technology. Follow along as Johannes Bechberger demonstrates the process of building a simple yet powerful firewall, starting with an exploration of eBPF's kernel-level packet manipulation capabilities before showing how Java's Project Panama enables seamless native code integration. Gain practical knowledge about deploying eBPF programs from Java using the hello-ebpf library, efficiently managing packet flows, and implementing precise firewall rules that leverage the strengths of both technologies.