DevSecOps — Docker Security (with Syft and Grype)

If you want to ensure the comprehensive security of your Docker images, Syft and Grype are two excellent tools that you can use. These command-line tools are lightweight, flexible, and stateless, making them ideal for developers. By using these tools, you can generate a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) from your container images and analyze it for vulnerabilities.

The first step is to run Syft, which will help you generate a detailed SBOM. This SBOM will contain information about all the components in your container image, including dependencies, package details, and filesystem metadata. Additionally, Syft will also identify any potential malware or risks, such as secrets or misconfigurations. By having this level of granularity, you can accurately match potential vulnerabilities.

Once the SBOM is generated, you can use Grype to scan it for vulnerabilities. Grype is designed to quickly and accurately scan the SBOM to identify any potential vulnerabilities. By regularly re-analyzing images using Grype, you can identify newly discovered vulnerabilities quickly and easily. This is particularly useful in the event of a zero-day vulnerability, where time is of the essence, and you cannot afford to waste time rescanning your environment from scratch.

Overall, by using Syft and Grype, you can ensure that your Docker images are secure, and you can identify and address potential vulnerabilities before they become a problem.

What is SBOM?

SBOM stands for Software Bill of Materials. It is a document that provides a complete inventory of all the components that make up a software product, including its dependencies, libraries, and other software components.

Just as a bill of materials in manufacturing provides a detailed list of the materials required to make a product, an SBOM provides a list of all the software components and their versions that are included in a software product.

SBOMs are useful for software developers and users because they provide transparency and accountability for the software supply chain. With an SBOM, developers can ensure that their software is free from vulnerabilities, while users can evaluate the security and quality of the software they are using or considering using. Additionally, SBOMs are becoming increasingly important for compliance and regulatory purposes in various industries.

Working

1. Install Syft (Linux)

curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/anchore/syft/main/install.sh | sh -s -- -b /usr/local/bin

2. Generate & save SBOM

syft debian:10 -o json > output

3. Install Grype

curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/anchore/grype/main/install.sh | sh -s -- -b /usr/local/bin

4. Generate a Vulnerability report

To minimize false positives and optimize vulnerability matching, Grype leverages multiple vulnerability data sources. This helps developers to efficiently address vulnerabilities in their Docker images without wasting time on irrelevant issues. By utilizing these data sources, Grype reduces noise and streamlines the vulnerability scanning process. This allows developers to focus on fixing real vulnerabilities and ensures that their Docker images are secure.

Conclusion

For developers, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of the software components inside a container before using it and to ensure that company-wide policies and compliance regulations are followed throughout the build process. Syft and Grype are simple image analysis tools that can help developers achieve this quickly and easily when it comes to Docker image security.

While Syft and Grype are great for getting started with Docker image security, enterprise-level software supply chain management solutions like Anchore Enterprise can provide even more comprehensive protection. By using Anchore, developers can gain detailed insights into the building blocks used in their applications and prepare for industry best practices that are quickly becoming standards and mandates. This can help ensure compliance and mitigate risk throughout the software supply chain.

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References:

1. https://anchore.com/blog/docker-image-security-in-5-minutes-or-less/