304 — Container Security and Best Practices

Master Docker security: minimize attack surface, scan images for vulnerabilities, implement least privilege, secure secrets, and apply production security best practices.

Learning Objectives

Minimize container attack surface

Scan images for vulnerabilities

Implement least privilege principles

Secure secrets and sensitive data

Apply security best practices to production containers

Step 1

Understanding container security threats

Learn the common security risks in containerized environments.

Commands to Run

docker run --rm alpine cat /etc/passwd

docker run --rm ubuntu ps aux

docker run --rm -v /:/host alpine ls /host

What This Does

Containers share the host kernel. Misconfigured containers can access host resources, expose sensitive data, or escalate privileges.

Expected Outcome

You'll see container processes, system files, and with volume mount, host filesystem. This demonstrates why security is critical.

Pro Tips

1
Containers are NOT VMs - they share the host kernel
2
Root in container can mean root on host if misconfigured
3
Default Docker configuration prioritizes ease-of-use over security
4
Always apply security hardening for production
5
Key threats: privilege escalation, data exposure, vulnerable images