Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs)
- Why are CVEs important?
- How Docker Hardened Images help mitigate CVEs
- Scan images for CVEs
- Docker Scout
- Scan a DHI using Docker Scout
- Grype
- Scan a DHI using Grype
- Trivy
- Scan a DHI using Trivy
- Use VEX to filter known non-exploitable CVEs
CVEs are publicly disclosed cybersecurity flaws in software or hardware. Each CVE is assigned a unique identifier (e.g., CVE-2024-12345) and includes a standardized description, allowing organizations to track and address vulnerabilities consistently.
In the context of Docker, CVEs often pertain to issues within base images, or application dependencies. These vulnerabilities can range from minor bugs to critical security risks, such as remote code execution or privilege escalation.
Why are CVEs important?
Regularly scanning and updating Docker images to mitigate CVEs is crucial for maintaining a secure and compliant environment. Ignoring CVEs can lead to severe security breaches, including:
How Docker Hardened Images help mitigate CVEs
Docker Hardened Images (DHIs) are crafted to minimize the risk of CVEs from the outset. By adopting a security-first approach, DHIs offer several advantages in CVE mitigation:
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Reduced attack surface: DHIs are built using a distroless approach, stripping away unnecessary components and packages. This reduction in image size, up to 95% smaller than traditional images, limits the number of potential vulnerabilities, making it harder for attackers to exploit unneeded software.
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Faster CVE remediation: Maintained by Docker with an enterprise-grade SLA, DHIs are continuously updated to address known vulnerabilities. Critical and high-severity CVEs are patched quickly, ensuring that your containers remain secure without manual intervention.
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Proactive vulnerability management: By utilizing DHIs, organizations can proactively manage vulnerabilities. The images come with CVE and Vulnerability Exposure (VEX) feeds, enabling teams to stay informed about potential threats and take necessary actions promptly.
Scan images for CVEs
Regularly scanning Docker images for CVEs is essential for maintaining a secure containerized environment. While Docker Scout is integrated into Docker Desktop and the Docker CLI, tools like Grype and Trivy offer alternative scanning capabilities. The following are instructions for using each tool to scan Docker images for CVEs.
Docker Scout
Docker Scout is integrated into Docker Desktop and the Docker CLI. It provides vulnerability insights, CVE summaries, and direct links to remediation guidance.
Scan a DHI using Docker Scout
To scan a Docker Hardened Image using Docker Scout, run the following command:
$ docker scout cves dhi.io/<image>:<tag> --platform <platform>
Example output:
v SBOM obtained from attestation, 101 packages found
v Provenance obtained from attestation
v VEX statements obtained from attestation
v No vulnerable package detected
...
For more detailed filtering and JSON output, see Docker Scout CLI reference.
Grype
Grype is an open-source scanner that checks container images against vulnerability databases like the NVD and distro advisories.
Scan a DHI using Grype
After installing Grype, you can scan a Docker Hardened Image by pulling the image and running the scan command. Grype requires you to export the VEX attestation to a file first:
$ docker pull dhi.io/<image>:<tag>
$ docker scout vex get dhi.io/<image>:<tag> --output vex.json
$ grype dhi.io/<image>:<tag> --vex vex.json
Example output:
NAME INSTALLED FIXED-IN TYPE VULNERABILITY SEVERITY EPSS% RISK
libperl5.36 5.36.0-7+deb12u2 (won't fix) deb CVE-2023-31484 High 79.45 1.1
perl 5.36.0-7+deb12u2 (won't fix) deb CVE-2023-31484 High 79.45 1.1
perl-base 5.36.0-7+deb12u2 (won't fix) deb CVE-2023-31484 High 79.45 1.1
...
Trivy
Trivy is an open-source vulnerability scanner for containers and other artifacts. It detects vulnerabilities in OS packages and application dependencies.
Scan a DHI using Trivy
After installing Trivy, you can scan a Docker Hardened Image by pulling the image and running the scan command:
$ docker pull dhi.io/<image>:<tag>
$ trivy image --scanners vuln --vex repo dhi.io/<image>:<tag>
Example output:
Report Summary
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┬────────────┬─────────────────┬─────────┐
│ Target │ Type │ Vulnerabilities │ Secrets │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────┤
│ dhi.io/<image>:<tag> (debian 12.11) │ debian │ 66 │ - │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────┤
│ opt/python-3.13.4/lib/python3.13/site-packages/pip-25.1.1.dist-info/METADATA │ python-pkg │ 0 │ - │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┴────────────┴─────────────────┴─────────┘
Use VEX to filter known non-exploitable CVEs
Docker Hardened Images include signed VEX (Vulnerability Exploitability eXchange) attestations that identify vulnerabilities not relevant to the image’s runtime behavior.
When using Docker Scout or Trivy, these VEX statements are automatically applied using the previous examples, and no manual configuration needed.
To manually retrieve the VEX attestation for tools that support it:
$ docker scout vex get dhi.io/<image>:<tag> --output vex.json
If the image exists locally on your device, you must prefix the image name with registry://. For example, use
registry://dhi.io/python:3.13 instead of dhi.io/python:3.13.
For example:
$ docker scout vex get dhi.io/python:3.13 --output vex.json
This creates a vex.json file containing the VEX statements for the specified
image. You can then use this file with tools that support VEX to filter out known non-exploitable CVEs.