Introduction

Container security requires three layers of defense: image vulnerability scanning before deployment, runtime threat detection during execution, and compliance monitoring for security benchmarks like CIS Kubernetes.

This roundup examines 5 tools addressing different aspects of container security, from kernel-level syscall monitoring to automated vulnerability remediation.

Falco provides runtime security through eBPF-based monitoring, Clair scans images for CVEs, Docker Bench validates CIS compliance, while commercial tools like Sysdig and Aqua Security combine multiple capabilities.

The selection depends on your Kubernetes distribution, team size, and whether you need open-source flexibility or commercial support. Each tool integrates differently with CI/CD pipelines, SIEM platforms, and cloud-native environments.

1. Falco

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CNCF graduated open-source runtime security tool that monitors Linux kernel events and syscalls to detect anomalous container behavior. Deploys as a DaemonSet in Kubernetes with pre-built rules for common attack patterns.

Key Highlights

eBPF-based kernel monitoring with minimal performance overhead (1-3% CPU)
Pre-built rule library detecting shell execution, privilege escalation, file access anomalies
Kubernetes-native with Helm chart deployment and automatic pod monitoring
Integration with SIEM platforms (Splunk, Elasticsearch), Slack, PagerDuty
Plugin architecture supporting AWS CloudTrail, Okta, GitHub audit logs

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2. Docker Bench for Security

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Open-source script that validates Docker and Kubernetes deployments against CIS Docker Benchmark and CIS Kubernetes Benchmark security standards. Runs automated checks for host configuration, Docker daemon settings, and container runtime security.

Key Highlights

Automated validation of 200+ CIS Benchmark controls
Checks Docker daemon configuration, image security, container runtime settings
Kubernetes-specific tests for kubelet security, API server hardening, etcd protection
JSON output for integration with CI/CD pipelines and compliance reporting
No agent installation required - runs as a container

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3. Clair

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Open-source static analysis tool for container image vulnerability scanning. Indexes container layers, extracts installed packages, then matches against CVE databases (NVD, Red Hat, Debian, Ubuntu, Alpine) to identify vulnerable dependencies.

Key Highlights

Layer-by-layer container image scanning with package indexing
Database-driven CVE matching against NVD, RHSA, Debian, Ubuntu, Alpine advisories
REST API for CI/CD integration and automated scanning workflows
Supports Docker, OCI, and container registry integration (Harbor, Quay, ACR)
PostgreSQL backend for scalable vulnerability database management

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4. Sysdig

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Commercial container security platform built on Falco for runtime threat detection, image scanning, compliance monitoring, and cloud security posture management. Provides unified visibility across containers, Kubernetes, and cloud services.

Key Highlights

Runtime threat detection using Falco with 300+ managed threat detection rules
Image vulnerability scanning with exploit prioritization and risk scoring
Kubernetes compliance monitoring for CIS, PCI-DSS, NIST, SOC 2
Cloud security posture management (CSPM) for AWS, GCP, Azure misconfigurations
Incident investigation with container forensics and timeline reconstruction

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5. Aqua Security

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Enterprise container security platform providing image scanning, admission control, runtime protection, and secrets management across the entire container lifecycle from build to production.

Key Highlights

Full lifecycle security from CI/CD image scanning to runtime workload protection
Kubernetes admission controller with policy enforcement and image assurance
Runtime protection using Linux capabilities, seccomp, AppArmor profiles
Secrets scanning and management with Vault integration
Serverless and VM workload support beyond containers

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Conclusion

Container security tool selection depends on your deployment environment and security maturity.

Falco offers the most comprehensive runtime detection using eBPF to monitor kernel syscalls, making it essential for production Kubernetes clusters where runtime threats are a concern.

Docker Bench for Security provides the fastest path to CIS compliance validation, ideal for teams starting container security or preparing for audits.

Clair delivers focused image vulnerability scanning with database-driven CVE matching, best suited for CI/CD pipelines requiring lightweight scanning.

For organizations needing integrated solutions, Sysdig (built on Falco) combines runtime detection with vulnerability management and compliance reporting in a single platform.

Aqua Security provides the most complete coverage from build to runtime with image scanning, admission control, and runtime protection.

Open-source teams should start with Falco for runtime monitoring and Clair for vulnerability scanning, while enterprises with compliance requirements should evaluate Sysdig or Aqua Security for their integrated capabilities and commercial support.