The Snyk Security Labs team recently embarked on a research project into the Docker engine. During this project, I had the opportunity to perform what is arguably my favorite kind of research using my favorite selection of tools. The research panned out quite successfully, and we identified four high severity vulnerabilities that allow a malicious attacker to break out of a container environment with a controlled Dockerfile under docker build and, in one case, docker run.

As containerized applications become the norm, the complexities of securing these dynamic, scalable environments demand a fresh perspective on traditional security practices. While Kubernetes streamlines deployment and management, it also introduces a new layer of attack surface, necessitating a nuanced approach to threat mitigation.

Cybersecurity breaches are becoming more frequent and more impactful. Adversaries continue to grow stronger, and defenders aren’t always keeping pace. Add in the increasing number of nation-state actors in the threat landscape, and it’s hardly surprising that governments are starting to take a greater role in regulating security. On July 26th, 2023, the U.S.

The cybersecurity landscape is undergoing a significant shift, moving from security tools monitoring applications running within userspace to advanced, real-time approaches that monitor system activity directly and safely within the kernel by using eBPF. This evolution in kernel introspection is particularly evident in the adoption of projects like Falco, Tetragon, and Tracee in Linux environments.

In the ever-evolving landscape of Kubernetes networking and security, Calico has proven to be a battle-hardened, scalable and robust solution. Core to Calico’s architecture are two components, Felix and Typha. And given their importance for running Kubernetes deployment, it is no surprise that monitoring these components is crucial to secure and maintain them for optimal cluster operation.

On January 31st 2024, Snyk announced the discovery of four vulnerabilities in Kubernetes and Docker. For Kubernetes, the vulnerabilities are specific to the runc CRI. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to escape the container and gain access to the host operating system. To exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker will need to control the Dockerfile when the containers are built.

Sysdig’s seventh annual Cloud-Native Security and Usage Report identifies how customers are developing, using, and securing cloud-native applications and environments. We analyze data from millions of containers and thousands of accounts and publish the most pertinent information for you. Security practitioners and leaders look forward to this report to identify trends and make adjustments to their cloud security strategy.

Snyk has discovered a vulnerability in all versions of Docker Buildkit <=v0.12.4, as used by the Docker engine. The exploitation of this issue can result in container escape to the underlying host OS when building an image using a malicious Dockerfile or upstream image (i.e. when using FROM). This issue has been assigned CVE-2024-23651.