Container registries store and serve container images, acting as the distribution hub for containerized applications.
Registry types
- Public registries: Docker Hub, GitHub Container Registry, Quay.io.
- Cloud-managed: AWS ECR, Azure ACR, Google Artifact Registry.
- Self-hosted: Harbor, Nexus Repository, GitLab Container Registry.
Security features
- Authentication: Control who can push/pull images.
- Authorization: Role-based access to repositories.
- Vulnerability scanning: Automatic CVE detection.
- Image signing: Verify image authenticity.
- Immutable tags: Prevent tag overwrites.
- Geo-replication: Distribute images globally.
Cloud registry comparison
| Feature | AWS ECR | Azure ACR | GCP Artifact Registry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scanning | Inspector | Defender | Artifact Analysis |
| Signing | Signer | Notary v2 | Binary Authorization |
| Replication | Cross-region | Geo-replication | Multi-region |
Best practices
- Enable vulnerability scanning on push.
- Implement image retention policies.
- Use immutable tags for production images.
- Require image signing for deployment.
- Restrict push access to CI/CD pipelines only.
- Enable audit logging for compliance.
Registry security checklist
- Authentication required for all operations.
- Network access restricted (VPC endpoints, private links).
- Vulnerability scanning enabled and enforced.
- Image signing implemented.
- Retention policies configured.
- Audit logs exported to SIEM.
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View all termsContainer Image
A lightweight, standalone, executable package containing everything needed to run an application: code, runtime, libraries, and settings.
Read more →Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
Testing a running application from the outside to discover security vulnerabilities by simulating attacks.
Read more →Immutable Infrastructure
An infrastructure paradigm where servers are never modified after deployment; changes require replacing instances with new ones built from updated images.
Read more →Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Managing and provisioning infrastructure through machine-readable configuration files rather than manual processes.
Read more →Policy as Code
Defining and enforcing security, compliance, and operational policies through code that can be versioned, tested, and automated.
Read more →Runtime Security
Monitoring and protecting applications during execution to detect and prevent attacks in real-time.
Read more →