Container security starts with protecting your Docker registry. This guide covers best practices for implementing security controls like vulnerability scanning, signed image tags, role-based access control, and automated policy enforcement.
Key Security Concerns
Image Vulnerabilities
Unpatched OS packages in container images create attack vectors
Unauthorized Access
Exposure of production images due to misconfigured access controls
1. Configure Authentication
Use OAuth2 or token-based authentication for registry access. Docker supports various auth providers including:
# Example NGINX auth configuration
auth_jwt_key_file /etc/nginx/jwks.json;
auth_jwt_issuer "https://auth.docker.com";
auth_jwt_AUD "registry.docker.com";
2. Enable Automated Scanning
docker scan --registry-username USER --trusted-registries registry.example.com
Integration with Clair:
Clair automatically identifies vulnerabilities in exposed packages across containers and their runtimes at an enterprise scale.
docker stack deploy -c clair-stack.yml clair-service
3. Use Notary for Image Signing
Notary provides cryptographic signing and verification for container artifacts.
# Signing a manifest
notary sign registry.example.com/my-project:latest
# Verifying a manifest signature
notary verify registry.example.com/my-project:latest
4. Implement RBAC
Role Definitions
- Viewer - Read-only access
- Developer - Read and write
- Admin - All privileges
Policy Enforcement
- Docker Content Trust (DCT) must be enabled
- Only allow signed images in production
- Automate image retirement after N days
Conclusion
Secure registries are the foundation of secure container pipelines. Combine authentication, vulnerability scanning, and digital signing to ensure your container distribution pipeline remains protected against common attack vectors.
Ready to Secure Your Registries?
Start with automated vulnerability scanning and image signing in your Docker pipelines.
View Security Docs