Back to Blog
March 9, 2026

Container Security Testing: Docker, Images, and Runtime Protection

Viktor Bulanek
Founder & CTO, Penetrify
MSc IT Security · 20+ years in security · 4x Ex-CTO

Image Security Testing

Container image testing evaluates base image provenance (trusted registries vs public sources), known CVE scanning (OS packages, application dependencies), image signing and verification, minimal image construction (unnecessary packages expand attack surface), and Dockerfile best practices (multi-stage builds, non-root users, read-only layers).

Runtime Configuration Testing

Runtime testing evaluates whether containers run as non-root, whether privileged mode is disabled, whether capability dropping is implemented, whether read-only root filesystems are enforced, and whether resource limits prevent denial-of-service. Each unnecessary privilege is a potential escape vector.

Registry Security

Testing evaluates registry access controls, image pull policies, vulnerability scanning integration, and whether unsigned or unscanned images can be deployed to production.

Container Escape Vectors

Testing probes for escape vectors: privileged containers, host namespace sharing, writable Docker socket mounts, kernel vulnerability exploitation, and misconfigured seccomp/AppArmor profiles. Container escape is the highest-severity finding in container security.

Testing with Penetrify

Penetrify's container security testing covers image analysis, runtime configuration, registry security, and escape vector testing-providing the complete container security assessment that compliance frameworks require.

The Bottom Line

Containers are only as secure as their configuration. Image vulnerabilities, runtime privileges, and escape vectors create risk that traditional testing methods miss. Penetrify tests the full container lifecycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What container security risks should I test for?Image vulnerabilities (CVEs in base images and dependencies), runtime misconfigurations (privileged mode, root user, host mounts), registry access controls, and container escape vectors. Is container scanning enough?No. Image scanning catches known CVEs but misses runtime misconfigurations, escape vectors, and orchestration-level weaknesses. Comprehensive testing requires both scanning and manual assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of vulnerabilities does Penetrify detect?

Penetrify detects all OWASP Top 10 vulnerability categories including SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, IDOR, broken authentication, security misconfigurations, and sensitive data exposure. It also tests API security, session management, and common misconfigurations in Supabase, Firebase, and Bubble.

How long does an AI penetration test take?

A quick scan completes in 15–30 minutes. A standard scan runs 1–2 hours with broader coverage. A deep scan can run several hours for complex applications.

What does a Penetrify report include?

Every report includes an executive summary, overall security score, severity-classified findings (Critical, High, Medium, Low), step-by-step reproduction steps, and concrete remediation guidance written for developers — not compliance officers.

Related articles

Kubernetes Security Testing: Pentesting K8s Clusters, Pods, and Workloads
Kubernetes adds an entire orchestration layer of attack surface. Here's how to test RBAC, pod security, network policies, secrets, and container escape vectors.
Continuous Security Monitoring Service: The 2026 Guide to AI-Powered Protection
In 2023 alone, the NIST National Vulnerability Database reported over 29,000 new CVEs. That's nearly 80 new potential threats emerging every single day. You know the drill. You run an expensive, time-consuming penetration test, get the all-clear, and push to production. But the moment your code goes…
Serverless Security Testing: Lambda, Functions, and Cloud Run
Serverless shifts security responsibility to configuration, IAM, and event-driven logic. Here's how to test functions for the vulnerabilities scanners can't find.

Explore more

Autonomous OWASP vulnerability scanning →Penetrify vs Intruder →Security glossary →Security statistics →
Back to Blog