cis-docker-5.13

DevOps & Security

Ensure that the container's root filesystem is mounted as read only

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5.13 Ensure that the container's root filesystem is mounted as read only (Manual)

Profile Applicability

Level 1 - Docker - Linux

Description

The container's root filesystem should be treated as a 'golden image' by using Docker run's --read-only option. This prevents any writes to the container's root filesystem at container runtime and enforces the principle of immutable infrastructure.

Rationale

Enabling this option forces containers at runtime to explicitly define their data writing strategy to persist or not persist their data.

This also reduces security attack vectors since the container instance's filesystem cannot be tampered with or written to unless it has explicit read-write permissions on its filesystem folder and directories.

Impact

Enabling --read-only at container runtime may break some container OS packages if a data writing strategy is not defined.

You should define what the container's data should and should not persist at runtime in order to decide which strategy to use.

Example:

Enable use --tmpfs for temporary file writes to /tmp
Use Docker shared data volumes for persistent data writes

Audit Procedure

You should run the following command on the docker host:

docker ps --quiet --all | xargs docker inspect --format='{{ .Id }}: ReadonlyRootfs={{ .HostConfig.ReadonlyRootfs }}'

If the above command returns true, it means the container's root filesystem is mounted read-only.

If the above command returns false, it means the container's root filesystem is writeable.

Remediation

You should add a --read-only flag at a container's runtime to enforce the container's root filesystem being mounted as read only.

docker run <Run arguments> --read-only <Container Image Name or ID> <Command>

Enabling the --read-only option at a container's runtime should be used by administrators to force a container's executable processes to only write container data to explicit storage locations during its lifetime.

Examples of explicit storage locations during a container's runtime include, but are not limited to:

Using the --tmpfs option to mount a temporary file system for non-persistent data writes to /tmp

docker run --interactive --tty --read-only --tmpfs "/run" --tmpfs "/tmp" centos /bin/bash

Enabling Docker rw mounts at a container's runtime to persist container data directly on the Docker host filesystem

docker run --interactive --tty --read-only -v /opt/app/data:/run/app/data:rw centos /bin/bash

Utilizing the Docker shared-storage volume plugin for Docker data volume to persist container data.

docker volume create -d convoy --opt o=size=20GB my-named-volume
docker run --interactive --tty --read-only -v my-named-volume:/run/app/data centos /bin/bash

Transmitting container data outside of the Docker controlled area during the container's runtime for container data in order to ensure that it is persistent. Examples include hosted databases, network file shares and APIs.

Default Value

By default, a container has its root filesystem writeable, allowing all container processes to write files owned by the container's actual runtime user.

References

CIS Controls

v8

6.8 Define and Maintain Role-Based Access Control

Define and maintain role-based access control, through determining and documenting the access rights necessary for each role within the enterprise to successfully carry out its assigned duties. Perform access control reviews of enterprise assets to validate that all privileges are authorized, on a recurring schedule at a minimum annually, or more frequently.

v7

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the information based on their need to access the information as a part of their responsibilities.