Kubernetes and other container orchestration solutions offer a more straightforward method for setting up and managing containers at scale. The use of these orchestration technologies has exploded as container acceptance has grown. For example, more than 75 per cent of containerized apps today are orchestrated using Kubernetes. Of course, because of their prominence, these networks are frequently targeted by online criminals. By providing pod security policies and drift control to assist protect containers in development, Kubernetes mitigates this risk. But what happens when containers enter runtime?

Kubernetes and Docker provide a wide range of tools for incorporating security into containers however they do not safeguard the runtime environment. In order to secure containers in production, a sophisticated runtime stack of tools, procedures, and rules have to be developed.

Some of the challenges in securing running containers:

While tactics like adding security into container build and creating smaller container images can assist guarantee a variety of dangers can surface after a container is operating, such as:

• Newly identified application flaws in outdated images.
• Drift in configuration, such as altering user rights without permission.
• Attacks on privileges that provide malicious actors access to data, storage space, or other resources.
• Access control bugs were used in the deployment of containers.
• Malicious code written within a container gets activated.

How to find and remediate container runtime risks?

Monitoring important events, including logins, is crucial for keeping running containers safe, but container runtime security extends beyond simple event tracking. It begins with integrating security into architecture utilising technologies for enforcing regulations at the kernel or Kubernetes level. In order to find new vulnerabilities or incorrect setups in production, scanning tools can evaluate audit logs, infrastructure as code (IaC), configuration settings, and application code itself.

Few steps to secure container engine runtime:

In the event of a network breach, attackers’ capacity to expand their reach might be constrained by container engine runtime parameters. Here are a few suggested settings that will increase container security for your company:

• Run ROOT instead of USERS

Users, not root, should be used to operate containers. To do this, specify the user ID in the Docker file before executing as that user. This allows employing role-based access restrictions to restrict access.

• Maintain ROOT FILESYSTEM settings as read-only

This prohibits hackers from taking over a computer or infecting the host with harmful programmes.

• Use in NON-PRIVILEGED MODE

Strong protections against the host system are built into container runtimes. Running in privileged mode is not recommended because it gets around the majority of these tests.

• DETECT MISCONFIGURATIONS BY SCANNING THE RUNTIME WITH IAC SCANNING

While configuring cloud infrastructure and container orchestrators, there could be a frequent misconfiguration. Use tools which can automatically find Kubernetes and other misconfigurations and return these pieces of information to developers Workflow tools. Some of the commonly used tools are SNYK IaC.

Kubernetes capabilities used to secure containers at runtime:

Although runtime security is not built into Kubernetes, it does feature capabilities that can help ensure the security of your containers once they are in use.

• Network Policies

By default, Kubernetes permits all ingresses and egresses involving pods. Use network policies to precisely manage network behaviour around containers after setting default behaviour to prohibit all incoming and outgoing traffic.

• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

You may configure permissions at the pod or cluster level using the Kubernetes RBAC API. As a result, adjusting permission policies is made simpler without the need to restart the cluster.

• Policy Admission Control

With the aid of Kubernetes admission controllers, you may impose regulations that cover certain threat vectors. You may analyze calls, enforce policies, or reject requests using OPA Gatekeeper and Kyverno, two policy engines that can serve as admission controllers.

• Secrets

You may keep a secret from a pod that utilizes it important information like a key or password by using a Secret. RBAC rules may then be set up to control how Secrets are read and written, as well as the processes by which people can add or remove Secrets. Never include credentials in configuration or picture files, for instance. They ought to be kept in a confidential management tool instead.

You can store and manage secrets for Kubernetes and outside apps using Vault, which can operate natively on Kubernetes. Any other Kubernetes tool can use Vault because it has native Kubernetes integrations. Another well-liked secret supplier for Kubernetes is tool like CyberArk.

• Audit logs

Little runtime security is offered by Kubernetes out of the box. Nevertheless, it does offer tools for audit logs, which may subsequently be examined for dangers with an auditing tool like Falco.

• Debug using ephemeral containers

To troubleshoot, Kubernetes ephemeral debug containers may be used instead of loading debugging utilities into your images.

A partnership between Sysdig and Snyk for container runtime security:

It’s crucial to incorporate security measures wherever feasible because there is no one-size-fits-all approach or secret switch for securing running containers. Finding vulnerabilities and incorrect setups and correcting the most pressing problems should come first. It’s critical to recognise vulnerabilities as well as the effects of those vulnerabilities since security itself is a kind of risk management. Utilizing Kubernetes’ features and settings is also crucial for improving the container security posture

While the majority of problems may be detected by a completely automated container runtime security solution, security flaws still require the astute eye of developers to be fixed. Although scanning tools can reveal flaws or incorrect setups in the runtime environment, any modifications must still be applied to the associated code by the developer. This is a time and resource-consuming effort and may cause developers to miss a problem. Snyk steps in to help with it. Snyk deals with this by identifying problems in development workflows and suggesting improvements. Docker containers and Kubernetes setups with tools like Snyk Container and Kubernetes Configuration Security and get feedback via CI/CD systems.

Additionally, Snyk and Sysdig have teamed up to implement developer-first security in the runtime environment. Falco, an open-source tool, is used by Sysdig’s runtime security to instantly identify risks, vulnerabilities, and incursions across containers and Kubernetes. These insights may be sent straight back to developer teams through the combination of Snyk and Sysdig so they can prioritize and implement solutions.