A Complete Guide to Container Security
In today’s cloud-native development landscape, the use of containers has revolutionized how applications are built, deployed, and managed. However, this convenience doesn’t come without its unique security challenges. Organizations must safeguard their containerized environments to prevent vulnerabilities, ensure compliance, and maintain operational integrity.
This guide provides an in-depth look at container security—what it is, why it matters, common risks, and best practices. From foundational concepts to actionable strategies, this guide is designed to support your container security goals, whether you’re starting with containerization or refining your approach.
What is Container Security?
Container security refers to the set of tools, policies, and practices used to protect containerized applications from threats throughout their lifecycle. It encompasses everything from the creation of a container image to its deployment and operation in production environments.
Containers, by their very nature, are isolated from one another and their host systems. While this isolation improves security compared to traditional virtual machines, it’s not foolproof. Vulnerabilities in the container image, misconfigurations in orchestration tools, and gaps in runtime security can expose organizations to significant risks.
Container Security: A Cornerstone of Modern Cybersecurity
Container security isn’t just a concern for security teams—it’s essential for software engineers and DevSecOps teams as well. That’s because as applications become more distributed and rely on microservices, the potential attack surface grows. A single compromised container can serve as an entry point for attackers to exploit an entire system.
Additionally, compliance requirements like NIST standards often mandate robust container security measures. Organizations failing to secure their containerized environments risk fines, reputational damage, and operational disruptions.
Container Security Standards
NIST SP 800-190
When most cybersecurity or DevOps professionals think about container security, they typically think about one specific standard: NIST SP 800-190, or the Application Container Security Guide. This comprehensive guide from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) outlines how to manage container security risks effectively, covering topics such as types of threats, how to address security at each stage of the container lifecycle, and recommendations for organizations.
Below are a few of NIST 800-190’s security container security best practices:
- Maintain a private registry for container images
- Regularly update and patch container images to address vulnerabilities
- Secure Kubernetes clusters or other orchestration tools with strong authentication mechanisms and network segmentation
- Limit container privileges to reduce the impact of potential exploits
- Enforce network policies to restrict container communication to only what is necessary
- Use firewalls to protect containerized workloads from malicious payloads
- Monitor and log container activities for forensic analysis and compliance audits
- Automate compliance checks to streamline processes and meet regulatory requirements
Learn more about cybersecurity compliance or explore NIST compliance automation solutions.
Fast Fact: Automating compliance with standards like NIST SP 800-190 can save organizations hundreds of hours annually. Anchore Enterprise simplifies this process with tools designed for seamless integration.
FedRAMP
The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) provides specific guidance on container vulnerability scanning to ensure that cloud service providers (CSPs) maintain robust security postures when utilizing container technologies. Key aspects of FedRAMP’s container security requirements include:
- Vulnerability Scanning for Container Images: CSPs must ensure that all components of container images are scanned for vulnerabilities before deployment to production. This scanning should be integrated into the CI/CD pipeline, with scans conducted at least every 30 days. Only containers from images scanned within this 30-day window are permitted in the production environment.
- Hardened Images: FedRAMP mandates the use of hardened container images. CSPs should utilize images that adhere to benchmarks listed in the National Checklist Program, as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-70. If no benchmark is available, CSPs must create and maintain a validated benchmark for hardening purposes.
- Automated Build, Test, and Orchestration Pipeline: CSPs are required to implement automated tools for building, testing, and deploying containers to production. These tools must be validated to meet FedRAMP requirements, ensuring that non-compliant containers are restricted from deployment.
- Security Sensors: Deploying independent security sensors alongside production-deployed containers is recommended to continuously inventory and assess the security posture. These sensors should operate with sufficient privileges to avoid visibility gaps and false negatives.
- Registry Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of the container registry is essential to ensure that only images scanned within the 30-day vulnerability scanning window are deployed to production. This process may involve setting up alarms to inform operators or implementing control mechanisms to prevent unauthorized deployments.
- Asset Management and Inventory Reporting: Each class of image corresponding to production-deployed containers must have a unique asset identifier documented in the FedRAMP Integrated Inventory Workbook Template. CSPs should track these containers using an automated mechanism validated to meet baseline control requirements.
Learn more about FedRAMP requirements or explore FedRAMP vulnerability scanning tools.
Other Standards
Additional frameworks that outline guidelines and standards for container security include:
- ISO/IEC 27001: An internationally recognized standard for managing information security, this framework outlines a systematic approach to securing sensitive information, ensuring its confidentiality, integrity, and availability through implementation of a robust Information Security Management System (ISMS).
- CIS Benchmarks: For teams using Kubernetes or Docker, the Center for Internet Security’s benchmark provides detailed guidance on securing specific container technologies.
- PCI DSS and HIPAA: Industries like finance and healthcare require strict compliance with standards that extend to containerized environments.
Automate FedRAMP and NIST compliance with Anchore Enterprise. Get instant access with a 15-day free trial.
Top Container Security Risks in 2025
In addition to adopting container security standards such as those listed above, understanding some of the most common sources of container vulnerabilities helps teams proactively identify threats and mitigate risks, maintain operational continuity, and build a strong culture around a security-first mindset.
- Vulnerable container images: Public registries often host images with known vulnerabilities. Using unverified or outdated images increases the attack surface.
- Misconfigured orchestration tools: Misconfigured Kubernetes clusters or Docker files can expose containers to unauthorized access or privilege escalation.
- Inadequate runtime security: Threats don’t stop after deployment. Without runtime monitoring, malicious activity like crypto-jacking or data exfiltration can go unnoticed.
- Insufficient access control: Granting excessive permissions to users or systems can lead to unauthorized modifications or leaks.
- Outdated images and dependencies: Neglected updates in container images can lead to the use of outdated software with known vulnerabilities.
Quick Tip: Learn how to secure your containers against the top container security vulnerabilities in our Docker Security Best Practices Guide.
Effective Container Security Management: Tools & Best Practices
Managing container security effectively requires a combination of cultural shifts, processes, and the right tools.
Best Practices to Strengthen Container Security
In addition to the standards outlined above by NIST 800-190 and FedRAMP, our team at Anchore recommends a few more overarching best practices for maintaining a strong security posture in your containerized applications:
- Integrate container security directly into the DevSecOps workflow, addressing security early in the development cycle. Shift security left to reduce the risk of costly breaches or disruptions in production. By embedding security into DevSecOps pipelines, teams can maintain agility while fostering a culture of proactive risk management.
- Prioritize training for developers, DevSecOps, and security teams to improve awareness of container security practices and empower them to build and maintain secure applications. This awareness fosters a proactive security culture, reduces human error, and enhances the organization’s overall security posture.
- Use tools that provide real-time visibility into container activities, helping detect and respond to threats promptly. Continuous monitoring ensures that anomalies, such as unauthorized access or resource misuse, are identified and addressed promptly, maintaining the security and reliability of containerized applications.
Types of Container Security Tools
Maintaining a strong security posture and meeting compliance standards like NIST 800-190 and FedRAMP can be resource-intensive, often requiring detailed audits, configuration management, and constant monitoring. Luckily, there are a variety of tools available to help automate container security and compliance and protect your organization from vulnerabilities, breaches, and other security risks.
Vulnerability Scanners
What they do: Detect security vulnerabilities in software dependencies and infrastructure.
Example: Anchore’s container vulnerability scanner integrates with CI/CD pipelines and provides automated policy enforcement for container images.
Runtime Security Platforms
What they do: Monitor live containers for abnormal behaviors. They protect against malware, detect and prevent intrusions, and provide real-time monitoring and response capabilities.
Example: Jamf, Elastic, SentinelOne, etc.
Secrets Scanning Tools
What they do: Automatically detect and alert on exposed secrets in code repositories, preventing accidental leakage of sensitive information.
Examples: Anchore Secure or other container security platforms
Compliance Management Tools
What they do: Help organizations meet and maintain compliance standards.
Examples: Anchore Enforce or other compliance management platforms
Role-based Access Control Tools
What they do: Provide granular permissions to minimize exposure.
Examples: Permify, Styra
Further Reading
Securing containerized environments is no longer optional—it’s a fundamental part of operating in the cloud-native era. By understanding container security risks, implementing best practices, and leveraging the right tools, organizations can protect their applications, meet compliance requirements, and reduce overall risk.
Learn more about container security with the help of Anchore’s team of cybersecurity experts:
- Whitepapers
- Webinars
- Case Studies
