# Container Security: Scanning and Runtime Protection

# Container Security Best Practices

**Implement Multi-Stage Scanning**: Scan at build time, registry admission, and continuously in production. Each stage catches different vulnerability classes and provides defense in depth.

**Use Minimal Base Images**: Start with distroless or Alpine-based images that contain only essential components. Fewer packages mean smaller attack surface and faster scanning.

**Enforce Image Signing**: Require cryptographic signatures on all images using Sigstore/Cosign. Reject unsigned images at admission time to prevent supply chain attacks.

**Generate and Verify SBOMs**: Create SBOMs for all images and verify them at deployment. This enables rapid response when new vulnerabilities are disclosed in dependencies.

**Implement Runtime Behavioral Monitoring**: Deploy eBPF-based runtime security tools like Falco or Tetragon. Monitor for anomalous behavior that indicates exploitation or compromise.

**Apply Least Privilege Principles**: Run containers as non-root users, drop unnecessary capabilities, use read-only root filesystems, and apply restrictive security contexts.

**Automate Vulnerability Response**: Build workflows that automatically create tickets, notify teams, and trigger remediation when critical vulnerabilities are detected.

**Maintain Vulnerability SLAs**: