Container security vulnerabilities expand attack surfaces and can jeopardize sensitive information by opening up access to confidential assets. Not all container security risks can be addressed at the orchestration level and it’s important to manage threats for individual containers.
Following standard DevSecOps practices is a good start and minimizing risks means companies must follow the best container security practices. In this guide, we will explore top container security vulnerabilities and give you an overview of everything you need to know about them.
What are Container Security Vulnerabilities?
Container Security Vulnerabilities are potential weaknesses, gaps, or glitches in how container technologies are set up or function. These can be gateways for unwanted guests to sneak in, tamper with data, or mess with the applications running in these containers. In the software development and IT world, these container security vulnerabilities can create big-time problems like confidential data leaks, service disruptions, or even complete system hijacks.
In the usual virtualization-based environments, every virtual machine (VM) has its operating system (OS). But containers? They all share the same OS kernel. So, a vulnerability in one container might affect others on the same host. This is why it’s super important to have a solid container security strategy prepared for all kinds of threats. These container security vulnerabilities can show up at any stage of the container lifecycle, from building container images to their deployment and runtime. So, we’ve got to keep our eyes peeled at all times for their detection and fixing.
What are the Container Security Vulnerabilities Categories?
Now we’re diving deeper into the world of container security vulnerabilities. And guess what? Vulnerabilities can crop up from different parts of the container’s structure and its operations. To get a grip on these, we need to pin them to the right categories. It’s like sorting puzzle pieces – you know where to place each piece for the whole picture to come together. To uncomplicate things, let’s talk about container security vulnerabilities in four key categories: Application Vulnerabilities, Configuration Vulnerabilities, Network Vulnerabilities, and Image Vulnerabilities.
1. Application Vulnerabilities
Let’s talk about Application Vulnerabilities first. These are all about the code that’s running inside your containers. Since containers bundle everything you need to run an application, any hiccup in your application code or the stuff it depends on can open the door to security problems. Think about it – if your application uses outdated software or libraries with known weak spots, you’re rolling out the red carpet for the bad guys. The risk multiplies when these vulnerabilities get together with containers having more privileges – it’s like giving the attackers a VIP pass!
Often, these vulnerabilities can come up from shaky coding practices. Maybe you’re not handling user input properly, and then you have something like SQL Injection on your hands. Or maybe your error handling isn’t up to scratch, and now you’re leaking information. To tackle application vulnerabilities, it’s not just about scanning for known weak spots and patching them up. You also need to get your coding practices in line with security standards.
2. Configuration Vulnerabilities
Next, we have Configuration Vulnerabilities. These issues tend to pop up because of misconfigurations in the container environment setup or the host operating system. Think about it like this – you’ve got containers running with way more privileges than they need. If an attacker manages to get in, they can step out of the container and stroll straight into your host system. Then you’ve got sloppy use of namespaces, which can leave system resources out in the open for containers.
Also, issues like not keeping a lid on the resources in your containers can cause major damage. If you’re not careful, a single container could gobble up most of your system’s resources, leaving other containers on the same host high and dry – denial-of-service (DoS) scenario. So, how do you deal with configuration vulnerabilities? It’s all about understanding and managing your container setups and keeping a keen eye on them for any changes that could put you in danger.
3. Network Vulnerabilities
Switching tracks, let’s talk about Network Vulnerabilities. In the container networking world, a lot can go wrong. Let’s say you’ve got containers communicating with each other with no restrictions, an attacker could sneak into one container and then hop, skip, and jump to the others in your network – welcome to the world of east-west attack propagation. Then you’ve got container orchestrators, if they aren’t set up just right, they’re sitting ducks for network-based attacks, putting your whole container fleet (infra) at risk.
And then there’s the issue of insecure APIs for managing containers. If your APIs are exposed and lack proper security, they can lead to potential security risks. So how do you overcome these issues? Secure communication channels, your APIs, and enforcing network segmentation are your best bets here.
4. Image Vulnerabilities
When we’re talking about Image Vulnerabilities, we’re referring to potential issues in the container images. Troubles often begin when we use old or unsafe images to start our containers. These images might be riddled with unresolved security weak points, becoming a playground for attackers who can exploit them to take over the container.
The plot thickens when images are sourced from registries that haven’t been vetted or have insecure security protocols. Images like these could potentially be altered or carry a payload of malicious code. To sidestep these issues, it’s wise to use images only from registries you trust and make it a habit to keep them up-to-date regularly. Moreover, get into the routine of scanning your container images for known weak spots before you deploy, this can be a significant boost for the security of your applications that run in containers.
Types of Container Security Vulnerabilities
Type 1 – Insecure Images
Regarding container vulnerabilities, insecure images rank high on the list. These are images for containers that contain software past its prime with vulnerabilities that are already known, or they could be coming from registries that haven’t been verified or are known to be insecure. In essence, an insecure image is a security headache waiting to happen. It lays out a welcome mat for those with harmful intentions to take advantage of the known weak spots or run harmful code tucked away in the image. To get a handle on these threats, it’s crucial to do regular sweeps for any issues with images, use images from sources you trust, and keep those images up to date.
Type 2 – Container Breakouts
Container breakouts happen when threat actors infiltrate host systems and compromise containers on them. They can cause lateral movement and take advantage of hidden container misconfigurations or flaws in host systems.
Type 3 – Denial of Service
Denial of Service attacks involve malware disrupting communication between containerized workloads. A DoS attack can overwhelm containers with too many requests and cause them to malfunction or become unavailable.
Type – 4 Poisoned Orchestration API
Let’s move on to another major concern in container security – Poisoned Orchestration API. Consider the orchestration tools such as Kubernetes that leverage APIs to manage diverse container operations. These are a bit like the lifeblood of your DevOps organization. But what if they’re not properly secured? That’s like a loophole in the DevOps metrics that can be exploited.
Attackers, spotting the weakness, could manipulate the container deployments and orchestrate a ‘poisoned orchestration API’ situation. The damage? Unauthorized access, data theft, or even more malicious activities – a bit like a massive failure rate in the production environment.
List of common Container Security Vulnerabilities
Let’s delve into some Common Container Security Vulnerabilities that every organization utilizing container technology should know.
#1 Use of Untrusted Images
When it comes to building containers, images are the blueprints we use. However, just like in construction, if the blueprint isn’t reliable, it could lead to many problems down the line. This is when untrusted or insecure images are used in container development – it’s akin to inviting trouble into your system.
These unreliable images could carry malicious software or hidden backdoors. It’s like unknowingly hosting a thief within your walls – jeopardizing your container and its entire hosting environment.
#2 Absence of Resource Limits
You’re inviting trouble when you don’t have a cap on the resources a container can consume. This is how resource exhaustion attacks happen. A container goes on a binge, consuming too many resources and triggering system instability, or worse, causing crashes. The result is that other processes or containers on the same host system get starved of service. So what’s the fix? Organizations must roll up their sleeves, place well-defined resource quotas for each container, and enforce them diligently.
#3 Misconfigured Access Controls
One of the major pitfalls in a container environment arises from improper configuration of access controls. Such a scenario could pave the way for unauthorized access – anything from a user who’s not supposed to have permission to land access to a container to an external attacker wresting control over the container environment. The solution lies in implementing access controls correctly, making them a key pillar of container security.
#4 Inadequate Isolation Practices
Containers are fundamentally built to offer a degree of isolation – from the host system and other containers. But without the right configuration, this isolation shield can be inadequate. This can give rise to scenarios of container escapes, where a malignant process manages to break free from its container. To beef up the wall of isolation, you can consider using security tools like user namespaces, seccomp, and a few other Linux security modules.
How SentinelOne Can Help?
SentinelOne is an advanced security solution designed to help organizations navigate and counter the complex landscape of container security vulnerabilities. With a rich feature set tailored to address various challenges associated with containerized applications, SentinelOne is equipped to ensure your applications remain secure throughout their lifecycle. Let’s explore how several of SentinelOne’s key features can help you avoid potential threats.
- Security Scanning and Monitoring
SentinelOne incorporates robust scanning and continuous monitoring of both serverless and server-centric container environments. It secures multiple environments, including ECS, AKS, EKS, Fargate, Kubernetes, and Docker images. SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Workload Security (CWS) provides agent-based protection for containerized workloads on IaaS, private cloud, and serverless infrastructure. CWS for servers/VMs automates incident response at scale with RemoteOps and provides unified XDR integration into Singularity Data Lake with 3rd party security data for AI-powered insights and IR.
- Configuration Defect Detection and Misconfiguration Management
SentinelOne enhances your security posture by identifying container configuration defects. It scrutinizes your configurations, benchmarking them against recognized standards like CIS and PCI, to pinpoint inconsistencies or breaches that could pave the way for possible vulnerabilities. SentinelOne’s AI-powered CNAPP offers advanced security features like Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), Kubernetes Security Posture Management (KSPM), Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP), SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM), IaC scanning, and more. It is a complete solution that minimizes all attack surfaces and secures across endpoint, identity, and cloud.
- Embedded Secrets and Vulnerability Detection
A particularly vital component of SentinelOne’s toolset is the capability to uncover embedded secrets within container images and host virtual machines. These secrets can become conduits for security transgressions if compromised. In addition, SentinelOne is skilled at unearthing vulnerabilities in container images housed in ECS/Kubernetes clusters and private container registries, empowering you to fortify your applications from their origin point. SentinelOne empowers organizations with real-time secret scanning for up to 750+ types of secrets and can secure private cloud repositories.
Conclusion
SentinelOne stands out as a leader in cloud security and is a trusted partner in remediating container security issues. Be it pinpointing configuration anomalies, unearthing embedded secrets, or perpetually surveilling your container landscape, SentinelOne is there to ensure your enterprise remains a stride ahead of potential dangers.
Secure your container ecosystems today and take advantage of SentinelOne’s offerings.