Best Container Security Software

For a container or any program to be functional on even a basic level, definitions must be built into the system. Containers utilize what are called “container images” to conform with this need. These so-called images define for the program all the elements that allow technological environments to work properly. These images are essentially what allow applications to carry out those functions which make the application necessary to begin with.

Container images create what one might consider a directory of terms within the program. The addition of this directory enables a system to know how it is supposed to react to specific situations. It is essential that this list of responsibilities is safeguarded. If they are left exposed, then any sort of instructions could be included in the system's operating instructions. How a system responds to situations and instructions is tied directly to the nature of the images that are incorporated into it.

It is a fact that the world is growing exponentially ever more reliant on computers and software applications in order to operate. Therefore, it is important to think about whether our systems can be secured from a list of cyber threats that grows more sophisticated by the day. Container security is any series of procedures which is aimed at protecting an application’s containers from harm. When it comes down to it, like everything else in the tech world, container security relies on proper implementation of protocols. Container security employs a wide variety of protocols to ensure that containers have not been corrupted or otherwise influenced by malware and viruses.

Much time has been spent trying to keep up with changing threats to cyber security. Protocols are forced to adjust to ever changing times. There is no point at which container security is fixed. The process and adjustments that are made are continuous and ongoing. It is also ultimately automated in a way where it integrates into the very environment that it aims to secure. This process of combining the automated security with the software gives you a greater ability to protect yourself from cyber attacks.

What, if anything, makes the role of container security crucial to the world of information technology? It has been established that containers are a piece of software that allows applications to function in tandem with platforms that they might not otherwise be able to work with. That being the case, it is worthwhile to consider the complexity of the issues at play. There could be a malicious actor or competitor who would like nothing better than to harm or gain an edge over you. An application or system without any security integrated into it is now dangerously vulnerable to an attack. Infrastructure can be compromised and infiltrated to the point of collapse or slowed down to the point of ineffectiveness.

However, what if it is not in the interest of the person or group who wants to take advantage of the lack of security to slow the system down or crash it? Their goal may be to steal data, spy, or act in otherwise subtle ways to accomplish their goals. It is not only the hazards of a deliberate attack that one must worry about. Any lapse in the security protocols on the part of the team responsible for its upkeep can lead your containers to interacting poorly with other containers. This can impact performance even though nothing malicious was intended.

To secure a container, an organization will want to make certain that several factors are considered:

1. They will want to make certain that the container images that define the system are from a trusted source and free of anything which could harm the application. Not doing so could mean that their application will be defined by code which could do them harm.

2. The application should run encryptions to protect their infrastructure when it is exposed to other networks. The nature of containers is such that they are supposed to come into contact with other systems. If they do so and the containers are exposed to malicious code, then any and all information is at risk. Data can be stolen and the system can be compromised.

3. Resources that are allocated should be tightly regulated by configuring the containers to run in a precise manner. The more precise the allocation of resources for a given application, the more effectively it will be able to do its job. Additionally, any breach that happens cannot be exploited in a way which will be critically damaging. Therefore, your last line of defense is to make certain that any intrusion into the system cannot spread to take control of other resources within the system.

These steps can help secure applications and the containers that run on them. Containers which have been secured using these types of methods will function in the best possible way.

This list is far from exhaustive. Taking all available measures to protect your application and containers will provide many benefits, which will be outlined below.

The use of containers in applications, while useful in many ways, can be misleading. One might be led to believe that the use of containers makes an application more secure. That is not necessarily accurate. Vulnerabilities, both new and old, can still exist within the application even after containers are employed. It is possible for teams to get complacent and rely on automation alone to find the vulnerabilities. While containers are a useful tool, they do not necessarily resolve issues of security on their own.

Security for containers can take on both active and passive forms. Container security tools should include the following features:

1. Scanning of images
2. Runtime security
3. Vulnerability scanning/threat detection
4. Network security
5. Forensics and incident response
6. Integration with SIEM tools and DevOps
7. Compliance

Using container security tools can, as has been hinted to above, benefit companies that use them greatly.

• If effectively employed, these tools can be the difference between an application which is rife with issues and one that runs smoothly in all scenarios.
• The threat of attack can be greatly diminished - or at the very least mitigated - by using container security tools.
• If security also becomes a part of the process by which container security applications run, then it is not hard to imagine that they will become more efficient.
• Having confidence that the system is secure and will not be compromised is a benefit all its own.