Containerized applications have revolutionized the way software is developed and deployed. Containers enable developers to package applications with all their dependencies, ensuring consistency across development, testing, and production environments. However, with this convenience comes security challenges.

Imagine a scenario where an unnoticed vulnerability in a container image becomes the gateway for attackers to compromise your entire application. This vulnerability can adversely affect your business's reputation and bottom line.

This is where container scanning is so valuable. It ensures that every image used in your application is free from vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or hidden threats before it goes to production.

Twistlock is a robust container security tool that does not simply identify risks, but empowers teams to fix them. From automated vulnerability detection to real-time protection, Twistlock transforms how you secure your containerized applications.

Understanding security scanning

Security scanning focuses on detecting vulnerabilities in repositories and pre-built images. It employs techniques such as:

Static application security testing (SAST)
Dynamic application security testing (DAST)
Open-source dependency scans
Container image scans

Among these, container image scans ensure that containerized applications meet security standards before deployment. This process involves analyzing container images to identify vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or embedded malware within the layers of the image. By scanning these images, teams can uncover risks before containers are deployed into production environments, minimizing potential threats.

Container image scanning evaluates various aspects, such as:

Base image vulnerabilities: Checks the foundational image for known issues.
Embedded dependencies: Identifies outdated or vulnerable libraries and software packages.
Configuration weaknesses: Flags insecure settings like excessive privileges or open ports.
Malicious artifacts: Detects malware or malicious code embedded in the image.

What is Twistlock?

Twistlock is a comprehensive container and cloud-native security platform designed to protect containerized applications and the environments they run in. It offers end-to-end security solutions, integrating seamlessly with DevOps pipelines to ensure that vulnerabilities are identified and mitigated early in the software lifecycle.

Originally developed to secure Docker containers, Twistlock has evolved to cover a broad range of technologies, including Kubernetes, serverless platforms, and other cloud-native workloads.

Twistlock architecture, from Twistlock documentation Figure 1: Twistlock reference architecture (from Twistlock documentation)

Core functionality

Twistlock’s primary focus is on vulnerability management and runtime defense for containerized environments. So, what makes it a robust tool for container security?

Container vulnerability scanning
- Scans container images for known vulnerabilities by analyzing package dependencies and configurations.
- Leverages feeds like Red Hat OVAL to provide accurate and up-to-date information about vulnerabilities.
- Users can scan images stored locally or in registries (both internal and external).
Runtime protection
- Continuously monitors running containers to detect anomalous or unauthorized behavior.
- Uses machine learning to build a model of normal activity, alerting or blocking deviations in real-time.
Cloud security posture management (CSPM)
- Ensures compliance and secure configurations for cloud environments (for example, AWS, Azure, GCP).
- Detects misconfigurations in Infrastructure as Code (IaC) templates and cloud accounts.
Access controls and compliance
- Provides role-based access control (RBAC) to enforce security policies.
- Ensures compliance with industry standards like PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and NIST.

Key capabilities

Twistlock’s features make it a go-to tool for DevOps teams aiming for secure containerized deployments:

Seamless CI/CD integration
- Twistlock integrates with CI/CD pipelines, enabling automated security checks during the build and deployment phases.
- Vulnerability scans can be triggered automatically with each build, ensuring that only secure images are deployed.
Multi-architecture scanning
- Supports scanning of multi-architecture images, including architectures like amd64, ppc64le, s390x, and arm64.
- For multi-arch images, Twistlock inspects the manifest and scans each architecture individually.
Policy enforcement
- Allows defining and enforcing security policies for both pre-runtime and runtime stages.
- Policies can include restrictions on container base images, package versions, or running privileged containers.

Twistlock and container image scans

Twistlock can play a vital role in the container image scanning process. It is specifically designed to address the unique challenges of securing containerized applications. By integrating Twistlock into the scanning pipeline, organizations can:

Perform automated scans of container images stored in internal or external registries, identifying risks across all stages of the container lifecycle.
Detect vulnerabilities in images, including security flaws in software packages, outdated dependencies, and potential misconfigurations that could be exploited by attackers.
Assess compliance vulnerabilities, ensuring that container images adhere to organizational policies and industry standards like PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and NIST.
Identify vulnerabilities using comprehensive and up-to-date databases such as CVE and Red Hat OVAL feeds to provide accurate insights into potential risks.
Receive actionable recommendations to resolve both security and compliance issues, enabling teams to deploy secure and compliant containerized applications confidently.

By covering both security and compliance vulnerabilities, Twistlock provides a comprehensive approach to container image scanning. This dual capability ensures that applications not only remain safe from external threats but also align with regulatory requirements, making Twistlock an essential part of modern DevSecOps practices.

Integrating Twistlock with the CI pipeline

Figure 2: Twistlock and the CI pipeline (from DevOps School)

Twistlock seamlessly integrates its vulnerability and compliance scanning capabilities into CI pipelines, enabling teams to embed security checks directly into the development workflow.

For Jenkins users, Twistlock provides a dedicated plugin compatible with Jenkins version 1.58 and above. This plugin connects to the Twistlock console over the network to perform image scans during the build process, offering detailed reports on vulnerabilities, remediation options, and compliance issues. It also includes trend analysis charts that track the progress of security efforts over time. For Jenkins instances running as containers, mounting the host’s Docker socket enables the plugin to execute Docker commands efficiently.

For teams using other CI tools, Twistlock offers the twistcli command-line interface, which can be easily incorporated into post-build steps. The CLI enables organizations to enforce thresholds for vulnerabilities and compliance, with the option to fail builds that do not meet defined security standards. This flexible integration ensures that Twistlock can enhance security across diverse CI environments while fostering a proactive DevSecOps culture.

For detailed instructions on twistcli, see Getting Started with twistcli.

MaaS360 and Twistlock integration with the Secure Pipeline Service (SPS)

IBM MaaS360 leverages Twistlock for container scanning, which is integrated with the Secure Pipeline Service (SPS). This integration ensures that container images used within MaaS360 are rigorously scanned for vulnerabilities and compliance issues before deployment. Twistlock’s scanning capabilities are embedded within SPS to provide automated vulnerability detection and detailed insights into security risks, enhancing the reliability and security of the MaaS360 ecosystem. By integrating Twistlock into the pipeline, MaaS360 ensures a robust security posture while maintaining compliance with industry standards, making it a reliable and secure choice for its users.

By integrating Twistlock with the Secure Pipeline Service (SPS) in MaaS360, you can significantly enhance the issue management process, making vulnerability resolution more efficient and transparent. Using Twistlock’s integration with GitHub, you can automatically convert all identified vulnerabilities into issues, which are then properly labeled based on severity, release version, and other relevant categories. The issues are also assigned to respective developers to facilitate faster remediation. This structured labeling system provides a clear overview of the scan results, enabling teams to quickly assess the severity of vulnerabilities and prioritize fixes.

This automated and organized approach to vulnerability management has streamlined the entire process, enabling teams to address security issues in a more structured and efficient manner, making it easier to keep applications secure and compliant.

Summary and next steps

In this article, you've explored the critical role of Twistlock in securing containerized applications as containers become the backbone of modern application deployment. Ensuring container security is essential to avoid vulnerabilities that can lead to breaches. Twistlock provides a comprehensive solution, offering vulnerability scanning and compliance monitoring for container images, enabling teams to detect and address risks before they reach production.

By integrating Twistlock into the development pipeline, engineering teams can automate security checks, track vulnerabilities over time, and ensure compliance with industry standards. Twistlock works with CI/CD pipelines, including its Jenkins plugin and twistcli tool.

With Twistlock’s seamless integration, organizations can not only ensure their containers are free from vulnerabilities but also maintain compliance with regulatory requirements, making it a vital tool in any DevSecOps strategy. The result is a streamlined, automated vulnerability management process that enhances security and improves the overall efficiency of development teams.

Now that you understand what Twistlock is and how it can help you secure your containers, check out the following resources to enhance your understanding:

IBM MaaS360
Defend against malicious software with MaaS360 and QRadar
IBM Developer: Containers hub

Secure containerized applications with Twistlock scanning

Secure containerized applications with Twistlock scanning