Container Security Is Broken (and Zero Trust Can Help Fix It)

Containers have changed the way companies create, run, and grow their applications. Developers love using them.

Security teams? Not so much.

Containers make things faster, more flexible, and more efficient. But they also bring big security challenges. Why? They weren’t designed with security in mind.

Illumio security experts Christer Swartz and Nathan Tran talked about container security in their recent webinar, Simplifying Container Security with Zero Trust.

They shared why traditional security methods don’t work well with containers and how using a Zero Trust approach with microsegmentation can help teams see what's happening and stop attacks before they spread through the network.

Containers don’t have to be a security nightmare

Containers, especially Kubernetes, are growing fast — faster than most security strategies can keep up. In fact, experts at Gartner predict that almost all digital workloads will be cloud-based this year.  

But many security teams are still struggling to adjust. The problem? Traditional security tools were made for legacy systems. Workloads stayed in one place and were easy to track.  

Containers, however, work in a completely different way.

One major challenge is visibility. Security teams can see traffic coming in and out of a container cluster. But they can’t see what’s happening inside. Without that visibility, spotting threats is nearly impossible.  

Containers also start and stop quickly. This gives attackers a chance to sneak in, take advantage of weaknesses, and disappear before anyone notices.

Many people assume that containers are safe just because they don’t last long. But short-lived doesn’t mean secure.  

Hackers don’t need a lot of time to do damage. Once they're in, they can use a container to move around the system, get to sensitive information, and spread through the network.

Common myths about container security

Even though container security is more important than ever, some common misunderstandings still stop companies from improving their defenses.

Let’s bust some of the most common myths:

• Containers are secure by default. Many people think that containers are automatically safe because they are isolated. But without the right security measures, attackers can still find ways in. If there are misconfigurations, weak passwords, or exposed APIs, hackers can easily take advantage and break into systems. ‍
• Traditional security tools work fine. Older security tools were not designed for modern container environments. They often can’t see what’s happening inside a Kubernetes cluster. If your security system doesn’t provide clear visibility or control over container traffic, you could be missing hidden threats. ‍
• Microsegmentation slows down development. Some believe that adding security will slow down the development process. But the right Zero Trust approach works smoothly with DevOps workflows. It keeps applications secure without getting in the way of innovation and speed.

Understanding these myths is important so you can move away from old security methods and use a strategy that really keeps modern container environments safe.

Why a Zero Trust strategy is the answer to container security

You can’t prevent every cyberattack, but you can stop hackers from spreading once they get in.  

That’s the power of Zero Trust. Instead of waiting to detect threats after they happen, Zero Trust limits access between workloads — whether they’re in containers or other systems — so attackers can’t move freely.

Here’s how Zero Trust helps secure containers:

• Eliminates blind spots. Full visibility across containers, VMs, and cloud workloads ensures that attackers can’t hide. ‍
• Prevents lateral movement. Strict segmentation limits access, meaning even if an attacker breaches a container, they can’t go further.‍
• Reduces the attack surface. Only the necessary connections are allowed, making it harder for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities.

Consistent microsegmentation without slowdowns

The challenge for most security solutions is that they weren’t built for containers. They assume workloads stay in one place and follow predictable communication patterns. Containers break these assumptions.  

That’s why Illumio’s approach is different.

Instead of forcing legacy security models onto containers, Illumio Zero Trust Segmentation (ZTS) integrates security into the container lifecycle. Our approach ensures:

• Out-of-band visibility. We provide real-time insight into every connection, including inside container clusters and across hybrid environments. ‍
• Zero touch deployment. Security is applied automatically, without slowing down DevOps workflows. ‍
• Agentless and agent-based flexibility. Choose the best model for your environment, whether it’s Kubernetes, OpenShift, or a mix of container platforms.

By applying segmentation policies as soon as a container spins up, Illumio ZTS ensures that security is embedded from the start. This means that by the time a packet leaves a pod, it’s already following Zero Trust principles.

The future of container security

Containers aren’t going anywhere, and neither are the threats. Organizations must move beyond outdated security models and embrace a strategy that prevents breaches from spreading.  

The future of container security isn’t about chasing threats. It’s about stopping them where they start.

With Illumio ZTS, security teams can confidently manage containers without slowing down innovation.  

Ready to learn more about containing breaches in your containers environment? Watch the full webinar now, or contact us today.