Container security is quickly growing in popularity, as are containers themselves due to their enhanced integrity options as well as their overall ease of use. At their core, containers make it incredibly simple to build, package, promote, and distribute applications, services, and their dependencies throughout their entire lifecycle. While more and more companies make use of containers to facilitate the development of their applications, here’s what you need to know about their security components.
An intro to container security
If you’ve recently implemented containers to your development cycle, you may be wondering what your security options are. At its base level, it relates to the protection of a container’s integrity. This includes every aspect of what the container includes, from its infrastructure to the applications it may hold. For container security to be at its most effective, it needs to be employed on a continuous basis and fully integrated.
On an enterprise level, container security needs to protect the container itself, including its pipeline and its applications, the internal and external infrastructure, and the deployment environment. It also needs to be able to effectively integrate with other existing security protocols or enterprise security solutions. When container security clashes with existing solutions, it diminishes the effectiveness of both. If you’re looking to incorporate container security alongside pre-existing enterprise solutions, make sure your container security is tailored to fit your application and business’s unique needs before committing to a package.
Container security risks
A primary security risk to consider when implementing containers is the fact that they are highly complex at their core. Especially if your container environment is meant to be of production quality, it’s going to consist of numerous moving parts. Without proper security protocols, you’re leaving each and every one of those parts vulnerable to unnecessary interference. Because containers are also highly dynamic, when coupled with their inherent complexity, they’re frequently difficult to address from a security standpoint.
Another difficulty stems from the fact that containers aren’t isolated like other virtual machine applications. If you’re using a single virtual machine and it falls prey to an attacker, those damages are most often limited to that individual machine. However, if a container is compromised, an attacker is more easily able to gain access to the other containers that utilize the same host. This lack of isolation is hopefully soon to be addressed, but is still a major existing security flaw.
Advantages of container security
One of the biggest boons of container security is the application of cloud native security which helps to remove manual management of whitelisted IP addresses and implements rigorous firewall protections to prevent malicious interference with your containers. Many of these automatically discern the network topology of your applications and work to develop the proper microsegmentation that would best suit them.
Another massive benefit of proper container security is the automation options that it affords. This hands-off approach makes it easier for your team to focus on your application at a higher level without being bogged down by the minutiae of manually managing your internal security protocols and addressing the setbacks that attacker vulnerabilities present. While there are numerous added benefits that stem from the implementation of container security, the automation capabilities alone make it well worth the investment.
A necessary benefit
If you’re considering incorporating containers to your application infrastructure, it’s important that you consider a custom container security protocol. It’s the best way to approach your security needs on a widespread basis and ensure that every inch of your pipeline is appropriately covered. Don’t leave your applications and products vulnerable to malicious attackers. Look into a proper container security solution to keep your business running smoothly.
