Top 10 Container Security Solutions
Containers provide a lightweight and portable way to package and run applications, making them ideal for building cloud-native apps. Because of this, software developers have been adopting containers at lightning speed for easier deployment. However, due to this trend, there is today a growing need for robust container security solutions to protect against potential threats.
This blog post will explore the top 10 container security tools that can help secure your containerized applications throughout their lifecycle. Before we dive into the list, let’s first review what containers are and why container security is crucial.
What Are Containers?
Containerization is a virtualization technology that allows developers to package and deploy applications as self-contained units that are efficient and lightweight. Containers differ from traditional virtual machines because they use the same operating system kernel as the host machine. Each container has its own isolated filesystem, network stack, and process space, providing high security and portability.
Containers are commonly used in cloud-native applications, as they provide consistency and reproducibility across different environments. With containers, developers can package their applications, dependencies, and configurations, ensuring they run consistently regardless of the underlying infrastructure.
What Does Container Security Entail?
Container security consists of the practices and technologies organizations implement to secure containerized applications and their underlying infrastructure. This is essential because containers are a potential entry point for cyberattackers who may exploit vulnerabilities in the container runtime or application code.
Container security encompasses many areas, including network security, host security, application security, and compliance. Solutions in this arena provide visibility into containerized applications, detect potential threats in real time, and provide automated remediation to mitigate security risks.
Considerations when Choosing a Container Security Solution
There are several key factors to remember when deciding on the right tool to secure your containerized environment.
For one, the value proposition of a container security solution should align with your business goals and requirements. Some key considerations to keep in mind here include:
- Threat detection: Comprehensive capabilities to identify potential security risks in real time
- Compliance management: Integrated capabilities to help you comply with the relevant industry regulations and standards
- Automation: Automated remediation capabilities to help mitigate security risks and reduce the workload of security teams
- Integration: Ability to integrate with your existing security tools and workflows to provide a seamless security experience
In addition to the value proposition, there are several key features that a container security solution should offer:
- Vulnerability management: To help identify and remediate vulnerabilities in container images and applications
- Runtime security: To detect and prevent threats in real time
- Access control: To restrict access to containerized applications and infrastructure
- Network security: To secure network traffic between containers and other resources
- Audit logging: To help you monitor and track activity within containerized applications
- Image scanning: To detect potential vulnerabilities and malware in container images
Top 10 Container Security Solutions
(in alphabetical order)-
- Anchore Engine by Anchore
- Aqua Cloud Security Platform by Aqua Security
- GravityZone by Bitdefender
- Falcon Cloud Security by CrowdStrike
- Datadog Container Security by Datadog
- Grafeas by Google and JFrog
- Qualys Container Security by Qualys
- Clair by Project Quay
- RedHat OpenShift by Red Hat
- Falco by Sysdig
Anchore Engine by Anchore
Santa Barbara, CA | 2016 | www.anchore.com
Anchore offers a container security platform called Anchore Engine. Designed to scan container images for vulnerabilities, configuration issues, and compliance violations, Anchore Engine’s standout feature is its policy engine, which allows users to define custom policies for image scanning and analysis.
It can be used as a standalone tool or integrated into existing CI/CD pipelines.
Aqua Cloud Security Platform by Aqua Security
Burlington, MA | 2015 | www.aquasec.com
Aqua Security provides a platform for securing containerized applications throughout their entire lifecycle. Featuring image scanning, runtime protection, and compliance management capabilities, Aqua’s most prominent feature is its deep integration with Kubernetes, making it an ideal solution for securing Kubernetes environments.
It can be deployed as a standalone application or integrated into existing CI/CD pipelines.
GravityZone by Bitdefender
Bucharest, Romania | 2001 | www.bitdefender.com
GravityZone Security for Containers is a container-native security solution designed to secure the entire container stack across multiple orchestration platforms, from build to runtime. It offers a combination of vulnerability management, runtime protection, network security, and compliance management.
The solution integrates with popular CI/CD tools like Jenkins and GitLab, making it easy to incorporate into DevOps workflows.
Falcon Cloud Security by CrowdStrike
Austin, TX | 2011 | www.crowdstrike.com
CrowdStrike provides robust container and kubernetes security as part of Falcon Cloud Security. It includes vulnerability and compliance management, container image scanning, and kubernetes. The big advantage is that all security is part of a single platform and interface.
Crowdstrike Falcon Cloud Security with Containers standout feature is the ability to detect and respond to container security threats in real time, allowing organizations to mitigate security risks quickly.
Datadog Container Security by Datadog
Ney York, NY | 2010 | www.datadoghq.com
Datadog is a cloud-based monitoring and analytics platform that offers container security capabilities under Datadog Container Security. The platform is designed to scan container images for vulnerabilities, monitor container activity, and provide real-time threat detection and response capabilities.
The platform’s main advantage is its integration with other Datadog services, providing users with a seamless monitoring and security experience, as well as runtime protection, network security, and compliance management.
Grafeas by Google and JFrog
San Francisco, CA | 2017 | www.grafeas.io
Grafeas is an open-source project with an API for auditing and governing the build and deployment of container images. The platform is designed to provide a standard way of tracking metadata about container images, including build details, security vulnerabilities, and compliance issues.
Grafeas can be deployed as an open-source solution or integrated into existing CI/CD pipelines.
Qualys Container Security by Qualys
Foster City, CA | 1999 | www.qualys.com
Qualys offers up a container security platform known as Qualys Container Security. It comes with vulnerability scanning, compliance management, and container image scanning capabilities. Qualys Container Security’s standout feature is its deep integration with the Qualys Cloud Platform, giving users a comprehensive cloud security solution.
Clair by Project Quay
Clair is an open-source container security solution designed to scan container images for vulnerabilities and provide detailed reports on potential security risks. Clair is best known for its open-source nature, making it an ideal solution for organizations prioritizing transparency and community-driven innovation.
It can be deployed as an open-source solution or integrated into existing CI/CD pipelines.
Red Hat OpenShift by Red Hat
Raleigh, NC | 1993 | www.redhat.com
Red Hat is a leading open-source solutions provider that offers a container platform called OpenShift. It includes security features such as runtime protection, vulnerability scanning, access control, and compliance management. OpenShift is known for its deep integration with the Kubernetes ecosystem, providing users with a comprehensive and optimized container platform.
OpenShift can be deployed as a cloud-based service or on premises.
Falco by Sysdig
San Francisco, CA | 2013 | www.sysdig.com
Sysdig provides a runtime security solution called Falco. The platform uses behavioral analysis and machine learning algorithms to monitor container activity and detect security threats in real time. Falco also offers response capabilities, making it an ideal solution for organizations prioritizing container runtime security.
