Containers are a key part of modern application development. They are a means of fast, reliable, and easy deployment but also bring new security challenges. Secured container images are designed to address these issues. In this article, we will discuss secured container images in detail, understand their benefits, and discuss their importance.
What are Hardened Container Images?
Hardened container images are container templates that are protected by additional security measures. These images are specifically designed to avoid insecure or outdated software files.
The key features of these container images are as follows:
Secure Baselines:
Contain only trusted and minimally necessary components.
Vulnerability Fixes:
Fix known vulnerabilities (CVEs).
Compliance:
Meet specific security and organizational standards.
Why Are Hardened Container Images Important?
1. Security improvements:
These images undergo a special container image hardening process, in which:
- Unnecessary tools and libraries are removed.
- The software is updated.
- Security standards, such as CIS guidelines, are implemented.
2. Meeting Regulatory Requirements:
The healthcare and financial industries adhere to specific standards, such as HIPAA or PCI DSS. Hardened images help to meet these requirements.
3. Ease of Vulnerability Management:
Unhardened containers are more vulnerable to outdated files. Hardened container images include updates to address these vulnerabilities.
4. Minimal Attack Surface:
These images only include essential components, which reduces the possibility of an attack.
How Are Hardening Container Images Created?
The process of hardening a container image consists of the following steps:
Choose A Simple Base Image:
Choose a lightweight and trusted base image, such as Alpine Linux or certified Ubuntu.
Remove Unnecessary Packages:
Eliminate unnecessary tools and services to reduce risks.
Implement Security standards:
Use standards such as CIS guidelines for container configuration.
Perform Vulnerability scanning:
Detect and remediate vulnerabilities using tools such as Trivy or Aqua Security.
Sign and Verify The Image:
Cryptographically sign hardened images to ensure their authenticity.
Best Practices for Container Image Hardening:
Follow these principles to make container image hardening effective:
1. Use Trusted Sources:
Always take base images from trusted sources, such as official sources on Docker Hub.
2. Automate Updates:
Adopt automated methods to keep images up to date to avoid new threats.
3. Use Image Scanning Tools:
Tools like Anchore or Clair help to detect threats.
4. Restrict Access:
Restrict access to your container registry and allow only authorized people to access it.
5. Keep Images Unchanged:
Keep containers unchanged. Create and deploy a new hardened image for any changes.
FAQ’s:
What are the tools commonly used for hardened container images?
Trivy, Aqua Security, Anchore, and Clair for vulnerability scanning and configuration checks are popular tools for hardening container images.
How does container image hardening improve application security?
The process enhances security by keeping the image updated, following strict configuration standards, and limiting the attack surface to essential components only.
How often should hardening container images be performed?
It is important to review and update hardened container images regularly, especially after new vulnerabilities are identified.
