Investigate compromised Docker containers by analyzing images, layers, volumes, logs, and runtime artifacts to identify malicious activity and evidence.
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Investigate compromised Docker containers by analyzing images, layers, volumes, logs, and runtime artifacts to identify malicious activity and evidence.
When investigating a compromised Docker container or container host
For analyzing malicious Docker images pulled from registries
During incident response involving containerized application breaches
When examining container escape attempts or privilege escalation
For auditing container configurations and identifying misconfigurations
Prerequisites
Docker CLI access on the forensic workstation
Access to the Docker host file system (forensic image or live)
Understanding of Docker layered file system (overlay2, aufs)
dive, docker-explorer, or container-diff for image analysis
Knowledge of Docker daemon configuration and socket security
Trivy or Grype for vulnerability scanning of container images
Workflow
Step 1: Preserve Container State and Evidence
# List all containers (including stopped)
docker ps -a --no-trunc > /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_list.txt
# Inspect the compromised container
CONTAINER_ID="abc123def456"
docker inspect $CONTAINER_ID > /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_inspect.json
# Export container filesystem as tarball (preserves current state)
docker export$CONTAINER_ID > /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_export.tar
# Create an image from the container's current state
docker commit $CONTAINER_ID forensic-evidence:case-2024-001
docker save forensic-evidence:case-2024-001 > /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_image.tar
# Capture container logs
docker logs $CONTAINER_ID --timestamps > /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_logs.txt 2>&1
# Capture running processes (if container is still running)
docker top $CONTAINER_ID > /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_processes.txt
# Capture network connections
docker exec$CONTAINER_ID netstat -tlnp 2>/dev/null > /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_network.txt
# Copy specific files from the container
docker cp$CONTAINER_ID:/var/log/ /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_var_log/
docker :/tmp/ /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_tmp/
docker :/etc/passwd /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_passwd
/cases/case-2024-001/docker/*.tar > /cases/case-2024-001/docker/evidence_hashes.txt
cp
$CONTAINER_ID
cp
$CONTAINER_ID
# Hash all exported evidence
sha256sum
Step 2: Analyze Container Image Layers
# Install dive for image layer analysis
wget https://github.com/wagoodman/dive/releases/latest/download/dive_linux_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i dive_linux_amd64.deb
# Analyze image layers interactively
dive forensic-evidence:case-2024-001
# Non-interactive layer analysis
dive forensic-evidence:case-2024-001 --ci --json /cases/case-2024-001/docker/dive_analysis.json
# Extract and examine individual layersmkdir -p /cases/case-2024-001/docker/layers/
tar -xf /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_image.tar -C /cases/case-2024-001/docker/layers/
# List the image manifest and layer ordercat /cases/case-2024-001/docker/layers/manifest.json | python3 -m json.tool
# Examine each layer for changesfor layer in /cases/case-2024-001/docker/layers/*/layer.tar; doecho"=== Layer: $(dirname $layer | xargs basename) ==="
tar -tf "$layer" | head -20
echo"..."done# Use container-diff to compare with original base image# Install container-diff
curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/container-diff/latest/container-diff-linux-amd64
chmod +x container-diff-linux-amd64
# Compare committed image with original
./container-diff-linux-amd64 diff daemon://nginx:latest daemon://forensic-evidence:case-2024-001 \
--type=file --type=apt --type=history --json \
> /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_diff.json
Step 3: Examine Docker Host Artifacts
# Docker data directory (default: /var/lib/docker/)
DOCKER_ROOT="/mnt/evidence/var/lib/docker"# Examine overlay2 filesystem layersls -la $DOCKER_ROOT/overlay2/
# Find the container's merged filesystem
CONTAINER_HASH=$(docker inspect $CONTAINER_ID --format '{{.GraphDriver.Data.MergedDir}}' 2>/dev/null)
# Or manually from forensic image:# Look in /var/lib/docker/containers/<container_id>/config.v2.json# Analyze container configuration filescat$DOCKER_ROOT/containers/$CONTAINER_ID/config.v2.json | python3 -m json.tool \
> /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_config.json
# Check Docker daemon configurationcat /mnt/evidence/etc/docker/daemon.json 2>/dev/null > /cases/case-2024-001/docker/daemon_config.json
# Examine Docker events logcat$DOCKER_ROOT/containers/$CONTAINER_ID/*.log > /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_json_logs.txt
# Check for volume mounts (potential host filesystem access)
python3 << 'PYEOF'
import json
with open('/cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_inspect.json') as f:
data = json.load(f)
inspect = data[0] if isinstance(data, list) else data
print("=== CONTAINER SECURITY ANALYSIS ===\n")
# Check mountsprint("Volume Mounts:")
for mount in inspect.get('Mounts', []):
rw = "READ-WRITE"if mount.get('RW') else"READ-ONLY"print(f" {mount.get('Source', 'N/A')} -> {mount.get('Destination', 'N/A')} ({rw})")
if mount.get('Source') in ('/', '/etc', '/var', '/root') and mount.get('RW'):
print(f" WARNING: Sensitive host path mounted read-write!")
# Check privileged mode
host_config = inspect.get('HostConfig', {})
if host_config.get('Privileged'):
print("\nWARNING: Container was running in PRIVILEGED mode!")
# Check capabilities
cap_add = host_config.get('CapAdd', [])
if cap_add:
print(f"\nAdded Capabilities: {cap_add}")
dangerous_caps = ['SYS_ADMIN', 'SYS_PTRACE', 'NET_ADMIN', 'SYS_MODULE']
forcapin cap_add:
ifcapin dangerous_caps:
print(f" WARNING: Dangerous capability: {cap}")
# Check PID namespaceif host_config.get('PidMode') == 'host':
print("\nWARNING: Container shares host PID namespace!")
# Check network modeif host_config.get('NetworkMode') == 'host':
print("\nWARNING: Container shares host network namespace!")
# Check user
user = inspect.get('Config', {}).get('User', 'root (default)')
print(f"\nRunning as user: {user}")
# Check environment variables for secrets
env_vars = inspect.get('Config', {}).get('Env', [])
print(f"\nEnvironment Variables: {len(env_vars)}")
forenvin env_vars:
key = env.split('=')[0]
if any(s in key.upper() for s in ['PASSWORD', 'SECRET', 'KEY', 'TOKEN', 'CREDENTIAL']):
print(f" SENSITIVE: {key}=***REDACTED***")
PYEOF
Step 4: Analyze Container File System Changes
# Compare container filesystem to original image
docker diff $CONTAINER_ID > /cases/case-2024-001/docker/filesystem_changes.txt
# A = Added, C = Changed, D = Deleted# Analyze changes
python3 << 'PYEOF'
added = []
changed = []
deleted = []
with open('/cases/case-2024-001/docker/filesystem_changes.txt') as f:
for line in f:
line = line.strip()
if line.startswith('A '):
added.append(line[2:])
elif line.startswith('C '):
changed.append(line[2:])
elif line.startswith('D '):
deleted.append(line[2:])
print(f"Files Added: {len(added)}")
print(f"Files Changed: {len(changed)}")
print(f"Files Deleted: {len(deleted)}")
# Flag suspicious additions
suspicious = [f for f in added if any(s in f for s in
['/tmp/', '/dev/shm/', '/root/', '.sh', '.py', '.elf', 'reverse', 'shell', 'backdoor'])]
if suspicious:
print(f"\nSuspicious Added Files:")
for f in suspicious:
print(f" {f}")
# Flag suspicious changes
sus_changed = [f for f in changed if any(s in f for s in
['/etc/passwd', '/etc/shadow', '/etc/crontab', '/etc/ssh', '.bashrc'])]
if sus_changed:
print(f"\nSuspicious Changed Files:")
for f in sus_changed:
print(f" {f}")
PYEOF
# Extract and examine the container exportmkdir -p /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_fs/
tar -xf /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_export.tar -C /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_fs/
# Scan for webshells and malicious files
find /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_fs/tmp/ -type f -exec file {} \;
find /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_fs/ -name "*.php" -newer /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_fs/etc/hostname
Step 5: Scan for Vulnerabilities and Generate Report
# Scan the image for known vulnerabilities
trivy image forensic-evidence:case-2024-001 \
--format json \
--output /cases/case-2024-001/docker/vulnerability_scan.json
# Scan the exported filesystem
trivy fs /cases/case-2024-001/docker/container_fs/ \
--format table \
--output /cases/case-2024-001/docker/fs_vulnerabilities.txt
# Check for secrets in the image
trivy image forensic-evidence:case-2024-001 \
--scanners secret \
--format json \
--output /cases/case-2024-001/docker/secrets_scan.json
Key Concepts
Concept
Description
Image layers
Read-only filesystem layers stacked to form the container image
overlay2
Default Docker storage driver using union filesystem for layers
Container diff
Comparison of runtime filesystem changes against the original image
Privileged mode
Container with full host capabilities (bypasses most isolation)
Docker socket
Unix socket (/var/run/docker.sock) controlling the Docker daemon
Container escape
Technique for breaking out of container isolation to the host
Volume mounts
Host filesystem paths made accessible inside the container
Image history
Record of Dockerfile instructions used to build each layer
Tools & Systems
Tool
Purpose
docker inspect
Detailed container configuration and state information
docker diff
Show filesystem changes made in a running/stopped container
dive
Interactive Docker image layer analysis tool
container-diff
Google tool for comparing container image contents
Trivy
Vulnerability scanner for container images and filesystems
docker-explorer
Forensic tool for offline Docker artifact analysis
Sysdig
Container runtime security monitoring and forensics
Falco
Runtime threat detection for containers and Kubernetes
Common Scenarios
Scenario 1: Web Application Container Compromise
Export the container filesystem, identify webshells in web root, analyze access logs for exploitation attempts, check for added files and modified configurations, examine network connections for C2 communication, review container capabilities for escalation paths.
Scenario 2: Supply Chain Attack via Malicious Image
Analyze image layers with dive to identify which layer added malicious content, compare with the official base image using container-diff, check image history for suspicious RUN commands, scan for embedded backdoors and cryptocurrency miners, trace the image pull from registry logs.
Scenario 3: Container Escape Investigation
Check if container ran privileged or with dangerous capabilities, examine host filesystem mount points for unauthorized access, review Docker socket mount enabling Docker-in-Docker abuse, analyze host system logs for container escape indicators, check for kernel exploit artifacts.
Scenario 4: Cryptojacking in Container Environment
Identify high-CPU containers, export and analyze the container image for mining binaries, check for unauthorized images in the registry, review container creation events for rogue deployments, examine network connections for mining pool communications.
