Top 10 Open Source Micro Segmentation Tools in 2026

Traditional network segmentation doesn’t work for microservices. IP addresses and ports can’t protect API communications when services spin up and down dynamically across containers.

Large enterprises running microservices architectures need different approach: identity-based segmentation that follows services wherever they run.

CISOs look for open source micro segmentation tools that can:

• Enforce network security policies between APIs to block unauthorized traffic
• Enable role-based access controls (RBAC) to define user and device permissions

We ranked the top 10 open source micro segmentation tools based on GitHub stars and active development.

Top 10 Open Source Micro Segmentation Tools

Table 1: Market presence

Selection criteria:

• GitHub stars: 2,500+
• GitHub contributors: 30+
• Recent updates: At least one release in last week
• Sorted by GitHub stars (descending)

1. Istio

Open platform for controlling API communication by connecting microservices.

RBAC Capabilities

Istio enables micro segmentation within a mesh by setting:

Roles: Define user permissions specifying activities a user can execute. Categorize roles by jobs and identities.

Example: Administrator defines role as “user Mert calling from Bookstore frontend service” combined role identity of calling service (Bookstore frontend) and end user (Mert).

Access restrictions: Create RBAC policies.

Example: Database administrator creates restrictions stating DB admins have full access to database’s backend services, but web client can only view frontend service.

Figure 1: Istio micro segmentation with RBAC architecture

Source: Istio¹

Role “products-viewer” has read access (“GET” and “HEAD”). User assigned this role can submit request and receive response to microservice in “default” namespace.

Figure 2: Microservice query example with Istio

Source: Istio²

2. Consul

HashiCorp’s microservice networking solution with micro segmentation features for managing API communication. Provides microservice discovery and mesh.

Administrators can:

• Manually define data requests using command line or API
• Automate “microservice discovery and mesh” process in Kubernetes

This ensures service-to-service communication is authorized.

Video 1: Introduction to micro segmentation with mutual proxy authentication to HashiCorp Consul 

Source: HashiCorp³

3. Cillium

Enables multi-cluster Kubernetes deployments for service discovery, micro segmentation, and network security policy management.

Key difference: Implements security rules based on service/container identity rather than IP address. Administrators use policies at various tiers to control traffic within Kubernetes cluster.

Example: Vacation Flight Micro Segmentation

Scenario: Passengers on vacation flight with different classes.

Namespaces:

• “Economy” for Economy class passengers
• “Business” for Business class passengers
• “First” for First class passengers

Rule: Passengers can only access services for their class (namespace).

Figure 3: Administrators creating three distinct namespaces  with Cillium

Figure 4: Administrators creating the services each user accesses in that namespace (e.g.economy) with Cillium

Communication patterns (manually configured):

• Ingress from workloads inside same namespace (economy)
• Egress to workloads inside same namespace (economy)

When economy-class customer requests service within same namespace, Cilium permits access.

Figure 5: Micro segmentation policy in action with Cillium

Source: Isovalent⁴

4. Linkerd

Service mesh software layer with micro segmentation capabilities. Facilitates service-to-service communication between services or microservices via proxy.

Video 2: What is Linkerd

Source: Linkerd⁵

5. Flannel

Open source virtual network project built for Kubernetes. Enables administrators to enforce policies based on how traffic is routed between containers.

Limitation: Focused on segmenting networks. Doesn’t provide policy enforcement feature for regulating how containers network to host. Provides plugin container network interface (CNI) for configuring containers.

6. Calico

Tigera’s open-source networking project allowing Kubernetes and non-Kubernetes/legacy workloads to maintain isolated networks based on zero trust architecture.

Isolate, protect, and secure multiple security domains including:

• Kubernetes workloads
• Namespaces
• Tenants
• Hosts

Components

Calico CNI: L3/L4 networking control plane allowing administrators to configure microservers. Builds isolated environments across host-to-host communication flows. Create policy-based smaller segments between communication protocols to protect:

• Containers
• Kubernetes clusters
• Virtual machines
• Native host workloads

Calico network policy suite: Enables setting policies while configuring microservices. Administrators can:

• Use “namespace” to assign permissions to certain IP addresses across isolated containers or virtual environments
• Create network settings for divided networks that restrict IP addresses

Video 3: Enabling workload micro segmentation with Calico 

Source: Tigera⁶

7. Meshery

Open source, cloud native microservice manager.

While managing microservices, administrators create:

Logical grouping: Segment environments to logically group relevant connections and credentials. Easier to manage resources versus dealing with all connections separately.

Resource sharing: Connect environments to allocate Workspaces. Team members share resources.

Video 4: Meshery design 

Source: Meshery⁷

8. Kuma 

Open-source control plane for service mesh providing microservice communication and routing.

Organizations create service meshes based on identity and encryption. Administrators can allow/deny incoming requests in Kubernetes.

Figure 6: Kuma user interface

Source: Kuma⁸

9. Open Service Mesh (OSM)

Cloud-native service mesh enabling users to manage microservices.

Runs Envoy-based control layer on Kubernetes, configured using APIs. Users can:

• Send deny/allow requests for network traffic communication between APIs
• Secure service-to-service communication across clusters
• Define fine-grained access control policies for services

Video 5: Defining fine-grained access control policies for services with Open Service Mesh (OSM) 

Source: Microsoft Azure⁹

10. Traefik Mesh

Open source service mesh with micro segmentation features. Container-native, runs in your Kubernetes cluster.

Video 6: Traefik Enterprise demonstration of microservices

Source: ¹⁰

How to Select an Open Source Micro Segmentation Tool

1. Evaluate Tool’s Reputation

Number of GitHub stars and contributors shows popularity. Tools with higher popularity receive:

• More up-to-date industry news, trends, developments
• More community assistance

2. Analyze Tool’s Features

Most open source micro segmentation solutions include microservice management, policy enforcement, login options.

If your business uses micro segmentation for several applications, search for comprehensive solution.

Example: Company seeking identity-based access restrictions should select system with role-based access control (RBAC) capabilities.

3. Compare Open-Source vs. Closed-Source Alternatives

Open-source limitations:

• Limited integrations
• Less advanced functionality

Closed-source benefits:

• More tailor-made solution
• More comprehensive features (cloud security posture management (CSPM))
• Network change automation
• Configuration monitoring
• Network topology mapping
• Cloud discovery and exposure management (CDEM)

Can be more productive for your company.

Further reading

• Agentic AI for Cybersecurity: Use Cases & Examples
• Network Segmentation: 6 Benefits & 8 Best Practices
• Top 10 SDP Software Based on 4,000+ Reviews

Reference Links

1.

Istioldie 0.5 / Istio Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

2.

Istioldie 0.5 / Istio Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

3.

Introduction to HashiCorp Consul with Armon Dadgar - YouTube

4.

Zero Trust Security with Cilium

5.

What is the Linkerd service mesh? - YouTube

6.

Enabling Microsegmentation with Calico Enterprise

Tigera - Creator of Calico

7.

Meshery The Kubernetes and Cloud Native Manager - an extensible developer platform | Meshery

The Meshery Authors

8.

”Kuma.io“

9.

How to use Open Service Mesh - YouTube

10.

Traefik Enterprise Demo: Connect, Secure, and Monitor Microservices at Scale - YouTube

Principal Analyst

Cem Dilmegani

Principal Analyst

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Cem has been the principal analyst at AIMultiple since 2017. AIMultiple informs hundreds of thousands of businesses (as per similarWeb) including 55% of Fortune 500 every month.

Cem's work has been cited by leading global publications including Business Insider, Forbes, Washington Post, global firms like Deloitte, HPE and NGOs like World Economic Forum and supranational organizations like European Commission. You can see more reputable companies and resources that referenced AIMultiple.

Throughout his career, Cem served as a tech consultant, tech buyer and tech entrepreneur. He advised enterprises on their technology decisions at McKinsey & Company and Altman Solon for more than a decade. He also published a McKinsey report on digitalization.

He led technology strategy and procurement of a telco while reporting to the CEO. He has also led commercial growth of deep tech company Hypatos that reached a 7 digit annual recurring revenue and a 9 digit valuation from 0 within 2 years. Cem's work in Hypatos was covered by leading technology publications like TechCrunch and Business Insider.

Cem regularly speaks at international technology conferences. He graduated from Bogazici University as a computer engineer and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.

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