Securing Containers in Azure

Introduction

1. Network Security

• Virtual Network Integration: Deploy containers within an Azure Virtual Network (VNet) for secure, isolated network access.
• Network Security Groups (NSGs): Apply NSGs to restrict inbound and outbound traffic to your containers.

2. Identity and Access Management

• Managed Identity: Assign a managed identity to your container group for secure access to other Azure services without managing credentials.
• Azure Active Directory (AAD): Use AAD to manage access to your ACI resources and integrate with AAD for identity and access control.

3. Secure Secrets Management

• Azure Key Vault: Store sensitive information such as database connection strings, API keys, and other secrets in Azure Key Vault, and access them securely from your containers.
• Environment Variables: Pass secrets as environment variables, but ensure they are managed securely and not exposed in logs or code.

4. TLS/SSL

• Use TLS/SSL to encrypt data in transit to and from your container instances, especially if they are exposed to the internet.

5. Image Security

• Trusted Registry: Use trusted container registries like Azure Container Registry (ACR) and enable image scanning for vulnerabilities.
• Private Images: Use private images stored in ACR or other secure registries.

6. Monitoring and Logging

• Azure Monitor: Use Azure Monitor to collect metrics and logs for your container instances.
• Azure Security Center: Enable Azure Security Center for advanced threat protection and security recommendations for your container instances.