Certified Container Security Expert (CCSE)

I. Overview:

Container Security Expert is the training program for professionals tasked with securing the container environment. The course allows you to get hands-on experience as you work with live containers in our lab, gaining significant insights that will arm you to secure a containerized platform in any environment.

II. Objectives:

After the training, you will be able to:

Building solid foundations that are required to understand the container security landscape
Embedding security while creating, building container
images, and securing running containers
Gaining knowledge in limiting the blast radius in case of a container compromise
Gaining expert skills in analyzing container weaknesses, attacking containers, and defending containers through various tools and tactics
Gaining abilities to apply practical container security skills in real-world container deployments

III. Duration: 40 hours

IV. Prerequisites:

Course participants should have knowledge of running basic Linux commands like ls, cd, mkdir, etc.,

V. Course outlines:

1. Module 1: Introduction to Containers

What is a container?
Basics of a container and its challenges
Container vs. Virtualization
- Container Advantages
- Container Disadvantages
Container fundamentals
- Namespaces
- Cgroup
- Capabilities
Docker architecture and its components
- Docker CLI
- Docker Engine (Daemon, API)
- Docker Runtime (containerd, shim, runc)
Interacting with container ecosystem
- Docker images and image layers
- Build Container images using Dockerfile
- Docker image repository
- Running a container
Managing / Orchestrating multiple containers
- Using CLI/API to manage multiple containers
- Docker Compose
- Docker Swarm
- Kubernetes
Docker alternatives
- Podman
- CRI-O
Hands-on Exercises:
- Working with docker commands
- Docker networking
- Manage data in Docker
- Create Docker Image using Dockerfile
- Writing Dockerfile
- How to use container registry
- Learn Docker Compose
- Working with Docker SDK
- Creating container snapshots

2. Module 2: Container Reconnaissance

Overview of Container Security
Attack surface of the container ecosystem
Identifying the components and their security state
- Get an inventory of containers
  - Docker Images
  
  - Dockerfile and Environment variables
  
  - Docker volumes
  
  - Docker Networking
  
  - Ports used/Port forwarding
  
  - Docker Registries
- Exhaustive review of Namespaces, cgroups and capabilities

Analysis of the attack surface
- Using native tools
- Using third-party tools
Hands-on Exercises:
- Using built-in docker tools for reconnaissance
- Using third party tools for image inspection
- Scanning the remote host for unauthenticated Docker API access
- Identify a container and extract sensitive information
- Create and restore a snapshot (tar) of the container for further analysis

3. Module 3: Attacking Containers and Containerized Apps

Note: Every topic/sub topic has an exercise in this module

Containers Attack Matrix
Image-based attacks
- Malicious Images
- Extracting passwords, tokens, TLS certs, etc.
- Exploiting vulnerable components
Registry-based attacks
- Insecure Docker registries
- Open Docker registries
- Lack of authorization (RBAC)
Container-based attacks
- Manipulating the Privileged mode containers
- Attacking mounted docker volumes
- Abusing SetUID/SetGID binaries
- Exploiting shared namespaces
- Attacking Linux capabilities
Docker host (Daemon) / kernel attacks
- Exploiting unauthenticated Docker API
- Insecure Docker endpoint
- Lack of network segregation
- Denial of service attacks
- Kernel exploits
Privilege escalation methods in Docker
- Security misconfigurations
  - Attacking management tools (Portainer)
  
  - Exploiting OWASP Top 10 issues in containerized apps

Hands-on Exercises:
- Backdooring Docker images
- Inspecting docker daemon activities
- Malicious container images
- Exploiting containerized apps
- Unsecured Docker daemon
- Docker exploitation using deepce
- Attacking misconfigured Docker registry

4. Module 4: Defending Containers and Containerized Apps on Scale

Container image security
- Building secure container images
  - Choosing base images
  
  - Distroless images
  
  - Scratch images
- Security Linting of Dockerfiles
- Static Analysis(SCA) of container images
- Scan for vulnerabilities in container
  
  - Choosing the right container scanner tool for your needs

Docker Daemon security configurations
- Docker user remapping
- Docker runtime security (gVisor, Kata)
- Docker socket configuration
  - fd
  
  - TCP socket
  
  - TLS authentication
- Dynamic Analysis of the container hosts and daemons

Docker host security configurations
- Kernel Hardening using Seccomp and AppArmor
- Custom policy creation using Seccomp and AppArmor
Network Security in containers
- Segregating networks
Misc Docker Security Configurations
- Content Trust and Integrity checks
Docker Registry security configurations
- Private vs. Public Registries
- Authentication and Authorization (RBAC)
- Built-in Image scanning capabilities
- Policy enforcement
- DevOps CI/CD Integration
Docker Tools, Techniques and Tactics
- Tools
  - Dive (Forensic)
  
  - Dockle
- Techniques
- Tactics

Hands-on Exercises:
- Securing container images by default using Harbor
- Scanning Docker for vulnerabilities with Trivy
- Embedding Trivy scan in GitLab CI
- Build a secure & most miniature image to minimize the footprint
- Build a distro less image to reduce the footprint
- Minimize Docker security misconfigurations with CIS compliance
- Signing container images for trust

5. Module 5: Security Monitoring of Containers

Monitoring Docker events, logs
Incident response in containers
Docker runtime prevention
Policy creation, enforcement, and management
Docker security monitoring using Wazuh
Hands-on Exercises:
- Auditing docker using auditd
- Sysdig Falco – Runtime protection and monitoring
- Tracee – Runtime security