Image Scanning and Vulnerability Management

Image Scanning and Vulnerability Management

Container image scanning identifies known vulnerabilities in image components. Modern scanning tools examine operating system packages, application dependencies, and configuration files. Integration into CI/CD pipelines enables automatic rejection of vulnerable images. However, vulnerability databases lag behind zero-day discoveries, requiring additional security measures beyond scanning.

Scanning tools vary in capabilities and accuracy. Open-source tools like Trivy and Clair provide basic scanning capabilities. Commercial solutions add features like runtime scanning, compliance checking, and detailed remediation guidance. Organizations should evaluate tools based on accuracy, performance, integration capabilities, and support for their technology stack.

# Example: GitLab CI pipeline with Trivy scanning
stages:
  - build
  - scan
  - deploy

variables:
  IMAGE_NAME: "$CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:$CI_COMMIT_SHA"
  TRIVY_VERSION: "0.45.0"

build:
  stage: build
  script:
    - docker build -t $IMAGE_NAME .
    - docker push $IMAGE_NAME

security-scan:
  stage: scan
  image:
    name: aquasec/trivy:$TRIVY_VERSION
    entrypoint: [""]
  script:
    # Scan for vulnerabilities
    - trivy image --exit-code 0 --no-progress --format json --output scanning-report.json $IMAGE_NAME
    # Fail on high/critical vulnerabilities
    - trivy image --exit-code 1 --severity HIGH,CRITICAL --no-progress $IMAGE_NAME
  artifacts:
    reports:
      container_scanning: scanning-report.json
    paths:
      - scanning-report.json
    expire_in: 1 week
  allow_failure: false

deploy:
  stage: deploy
  script:
    - echo "Deploy only if security scan passes"
    - kubectl set image deployment/app app=$IMAGE_NAME
  only:
    - main
  dependencies:
    - security-scan

Vulnerability prioritization helps teams focus remediation efforts effectively. Not all vulnerabilities pose equal risk. Environmental factors like network exposure and data sensitivity affect actual risk levels. CVSS scores provide baseline severity assessments but require context-aware interpretation. Organizations should develop risk scoring frameworks that consider their specific environments and threat models.