Azure security baseline for Container Registry
This security baseline applies guidance from the Microsoft cloud security benchmark version 1.0 to Container Registry. The Microsoft cloud security benchmark provides recommendations on how you can secure your cloud solutions on Azure. The content is grouped by the security controls defined by the Microsoft cloud security benchmark and the related guidance applicable to Container Registry.
You can monitor this security baseline and its recommendations using Microsoft Defender for Cloud. Azure Policy definitions will be listed in the Regulatory Compliance section of the Microsoft Defender for Cloud portal page.
When a feature has relevant Azure Policy Definitions, they are listed in this baseline to help you measure compliance with the Microsoft cloud security benchmark controls and recommendations. Some recommendations may require a paid Microsoft Defender plan to enable certain security scenarios.
Note
Features not applicable to Container Registry have been excluded. To see how Container Registry completely maps to the Microsoft cloud security benchmark, see the full Container Registry security baseline mapping file.
Security profile
The security profile summarizes high-impact behaviors of Container Registry, which may result in increased security considerations.
| Service Behavior Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Product Category | Compute, Containers |
| Customer can access HOST / OS | No Access |
| Service can be deployed into customer's virtual network | False |
| Stores customer content at rest | True |
Network security
For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Network security.
NS-1: Establish network segmentation boundaries
Features
Virtual Network Integration
Description: Service supports deployment into customer's private Virtual Network (VNet). Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| False | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.
Network Security Group Support
Description: Service network traffic respects Network Security Groups rule assignment on its subnets. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| False | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.
NS-2: Secure cloud services with network controls
Features
Azure Private Link
Description: Service native IP filtering capability for filtering network traffic (not to be confused with NSG or Azure Firewall). Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Configuration Guidance: Deploy private endpoints for all Azure resources that support the Private Link feature, to establish a private access point for the resources.
Reference: Connect privately to an Azure container registry using Azure Private Link
Disable Public Network Access
Description: Service supports disabling public network access either through using service-level IP ACL filtering rule (not NSG or Azure Firewall) or using a 'Disable Public Network Access' toggle switch. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Configuration Guidance: Disable public network access either using the service-level IP ACL filtering rule or by enabling the 'disable public network access' setting on the service.
Reference: Disable public network access
Microsoft Defender for Cloud monitoring
Azure Policy built-in definitions - Microsoft.ContainerRegistry:
| Name (Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) | Version (GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Container registries should not allow unrestricted network access | Azure container registries by default accept connections over the internet from hosts on any network. To protect your registries from potential threats, allow access from only specific private endpoints, public IP addresses or address ranges. If your registry doesn't have network rules configured, it will appear in the unhealthy resources. Learn more about Container Registry network rules here: https://aka.ms/acr/privatelink, https://aka.ms/acr/portal/public-network and https://aka.ms/acr/vnet. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 2.0.0 |
Identity management
For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Identity management.
IM-1: Use centralized identity and authentication system
Features
Azure AD Authentication Required for Data Plane Access
Description: Service supports using Azure AD authentication for data plane access. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | True | Microsoft |
Configuration Guidance: No additional configurations are required as this is enabled on a default deployment.
Reference: Authenticate with an Azure container registry
Local Authentication Methods for Data Plane Access
Description: Local authentications methods supported for data plane access, such as a local username and password. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Feature notes: Avoid the usage of local authentication methods or accounts, these should be disabled wherever possible. Instead use Azure AD to authenticate where possible.
Configuration Guidance: Restrict the use of local authentication methods for data plane access. Instead, use Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) as the default authentication method to control your data plane access.
Reference: Create a token with repository-scoped permissions
IM-3: Manage application identities securely and automatically
Features
Managed Identities
Description: Data plane actions support authentication using managed identities. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Configuration Guidance: Use Azure managed identities instead of service principals when possible, which can authenticate to Azure services and resources that support Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) authentication. Managed identity credentials are fully managed, rotated, and protected by the platform, avoiding hard-coded credentials in source code or configuration files.
Reference: Use an Azure managed identity to authenticate to an Azure container registry
Service Principals
Description: Data plane supports authentication using service principals. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Additional Guidance: Though service principals are supported by the service as a pattern for authentication, we recommend using Managed Identities where possible instead.
Reference: Azure Container Registry authentication with service principals
IM-7: Restrict resource access based on conditions
Features
Conditional Access for Data Plane
Description: Data plane access can be controlled using Azure AD Conditional Access Policies. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| False | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.
Privileged access
For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Privileged access.
PA-1: Separate and limit highly privileged/administrative users
Features
Local Admin Accounts
Description: Service has the concept of a local administrative account. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Feature notes: Avoid the usage of local authentication methods or accounts, these should be disabled wherever possible. Instead use Azure AD to authenticate where possible.
Configuration Guidance: If not required for routine administrative operations, disable or restrict any local admin accounts for only emergency use. Each container registry includes an admin user account, which is disabled by default.
Reference: Authenticate with an Azure container registry
PA-7: Follow just enough administration (least privilege) principle
Features
Azure RBAC for Data Plane
Description: Azure Role-Based Access Control (Azure RBAC) can be used to managed access to service's data plane actions. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | True | Microsoft |
Configuration Guidance: No additional configurations are required as this is enabled on a default deployment.
Reference: Azure Container Registry roles and permissions
PA-8: Determine access process for cloud provider support
Features
Customer Lockbox
Description: Customer Lockbox can be used for Microsoft support access. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Configuration Guidance: In support scenarios where Microsoft needs to access your data, use Customer Lockbox to review, then approve or reject each of Microsoft's data access requests.
Reference: Customer Lockbox for Microsoft Azure
Data protection
For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Data protection.
DP-1: Discover, classify, and label sensitive data
Features
Sensitive Data Discovery and Classification
Description: Tools (such as Azure Purview or Azure Information Protection) can be used for data discovery and classification in the service. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| False | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.
DP-2: Monitor anomalies and threats targeting sensitive data
Features
Data Leakage/Loss Prevention
Description: Service supports DLP solution to monitor sensitive data movement (in customer's content). Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Configuration Guidance: Disable container registry exports to ensure data is accessed solely via the data plane ('docker pull'). This ensures Data cannot be moved out of the registry via 'acr import' or via 'acr transfer'.
Reference: Container registries should have exports disabled
DP-3: Encrypt sensitive data in transit
Features
Data in Transit Encryption
Description: Service supports data in-transit encryption for data plane. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | True | Microsoft |
Configuration Guidance: No additional configurations are required as this is enabled on a default deployment.
Reference: How to enable TLS 1.2 on Azure Container Registry
DP-4: Enable data at rest encryption by default
Features
Data at Rest Encryption Using Platform Keys
Description: Data at-rest encryption using platform keys is supported, any customer content at rest is encrypted with these Microsoft managed keys. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | True | Microsoft |
Configuration Guidance: No additional configurations are required as this is enabled on a default deployment.
Reference: Encrypt registry using a platform-managed key
DP-5: Use customer-managed key option in data at rest encryption when required
Features
Data at Rest Encryption Using CMK
Description: Data at-rest encryption using customer-managed keys is supported for customer content stored by the service. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Configuration Guidance: If required for regulatory compliance, define the use case and service scope where encryption using customer-managed keys are needed. Enable and implement data at rest encryption using customer-managed key for those services.
Reference: Encrypt registry using a customer-managed key
Microsoft Defender for Cloud monitoring
Azure Policy built-in definitions - Microsoft.ContainerRegistry:
| Name (Azure portal) |
Description | Effect(s) | Version (GitHub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Container registries should be encrypted with a customer-managed key | Use customer-managed keys to manage the encryption at rest of the contents of your registries. By default, the data is encrypted at rest with service-managed keys, but customer-managed keys are commonly required to meet regulatory compliance standards. Customer-managed keys enable the data to be encrypted with an Azure Key Vault key created and owned by you. You have full control and responsibility for the key lifecycle, including rotation and management. Learn more at https://aka.ms/acr/CMK. | Audit, Deny, Disabled | 1.1.2 |
DP-6: Use a secure key management process
Features
Key Management in Azure Key Vault
Description: The service supports Azure Key Vault integration for any customer keys, secrets, or certificates. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| False | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.
Asset management
For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Asset management.
AM-2: Use only approved services
Features
Azure Policy Support
Description: Service configurations can be monitored and enforced via Azure Policy. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Configuration Guidance: Use Microsoft Defender for Cloud to configure Azure Policy to audit and enforce configurations of your Azure resources. Use Azure Monitor to create alerts when there is a configuration deviation detected on the resources. Use Azure Policy [deny] and [deploy if not exists] effects to enforce secure configuration across Azure resources.
Reference: Audit compliance of Azure container registries using Azure Policy
Logging and threat detection
For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Logging and threat detection.
LT-1: Enable threat detection capabilities
Features
Microsoft Defender for Service / Product Offering
Description: Service has an offering-specific Microsoft Defender solution to monitor and alert on security issues. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Configuration Guidance: Use the Microsoft Defender for Cloud built-in threat detection capability and enable Microsoft Defender for your Container Registry resources. Microsoft Defender for Container Registry provides another layer of security intelligence. It detects unusual and potentially harmful attempts to access or exploit your Container Registry resources.
Reference: Overview of Microsoft Defender for Containers
LT-4: Enable logging for security investigation
Features
Azure Resource Logs
Description: Service produces resource logs that can provide enhanced service-specific metrics and logging. The customer can configure these resource logs and send them to their own data sink like a storage account or log analytics workspace. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| True | False | Customer |
Configuration Guidance: Enable Azure resource logs for Container Registry. You can use Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Azure Policy to enable resource logs and log data collecting. These logs can be critical for investigating security incidents and for forensic exercises.
Reference: Monitor Azure Container Registry
Backup and recovery
For more information, see the Microsoft cloud security benchmark: Backup and recovery.
BR-1: Ensure regular automated backups
Features
Azure Backup
Description: The service can be backed up by the Azure Backup service. Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| False | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.
Service Native Backup Capability
Description: Service supports its own native backup capability (if not using Azure Backup). Learn more.
| Supported | Enabled By Default | Configuration Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| False | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
Configuration Guidance: This feature is not supported to secure this service.
Next steps
- See the Microsoft cloud security benchmark overview
- Learn more about Azure security baselines