Find and Fix Vulnerabilities Faster Now that Docker’s a CNA

CNAs, or CVE Numbering Authorities, are an essential part of vulnerability reporting because they compose a cohort of bug bounty programs, organizations, and companies involved in the secure software supply chain. When millions of developers depend on your projects, like in Docker’s case, it’s important to be a CNA to reinforce your commitment to cybersecurity and good stewardship as part of the software supply chain.

Previously, Docker reported CVEs directly through MITRE and GitHub without CNA status (there are many other organizations that still do this today, and CVE reporting does not require CNA status).

But not anymore! Docker is now officially a CNA under MITRE, which means you should get better notifications and documentation when we publish a vulnerability.

What are CNAs? (And where does MITRE fit in?)

To understand how CNAs, CVEs, and MITRE fit together, let’s start with the reason behind all those acronyms. Namely, a vulnerability.

When a vulnerability pops up, it’s really important that it has a unique identifier so developers know they’re all talking about the same vulnerability. (Let’s be honest, calling it, “That Java bug” really isn’t going to cut it.)

So someone has to give it a CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) designation. That’s where a CNA comes in. They submit a request to their root CNA, which is often MITRE (and no, MITRE isn’t an acronym). A new CVE number, or several, is then assigned depending on how the report is categorized, thus making it official. And to keep all the CNAs on the same page, there are companies that maintain the CVE system.

MITRE is a non-profit corporation that maintains the system with sponsorship from the US government’s CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency). Like CISA, MITRE helps lead the charge in protecting public interest when it comes to defense, cybersecurity, and a myriad of other industries.

The CVE system provides references and information about the scary-ickies or the ultra terrifying vulnerabilities found in the world of technology, making vulnerabilities for shared resources and technologies easy to publicize, notify folks about, and take action against.

If you feel like learning more about the CVE program check out MITRE’s suite of videos here or the program’s homepage.

Where does Docker fit in?

Docker has reported CVEs in the past directly through MITRE and has, for example, used the reporting functionality through GitHub on Docker Engine. By becoming a CNA, however, we can take a more direct and coordinated approach with our reporting.

And better reporting means better awareness for everyone using our tools!

Docker went through the process of becoming a CNA (including some training and homework) so we can more effectively report on vulnerabilities related to Docker Desktop and Docker Hub. The checklist for CNA status also includes having appropriate disclosure and advisory policies in place. Docker’s status as a CNA means we can centralize CVE reporting for our different offerings connected to Docker Desktop, as well as those connected to Docker Hub and the registry. 

By becoming a CNA, Docker can be more active in the community of companies that make up the software supply chain. MITRE, as the default CNA and one of the root CNAs (CISA is a root CNA too), acts as the unbiased reviewer of vulnerability reports. Other organizations, vendors, or bug bounty programs, like Microsoft, HashiCorp, Rapid7, VMware, Red Hat, and hundreds of others, also act as CNAs.

Keep in mind that Docker’s status as a CNA means we’ll only report for products and projects we maintain. Being a CNA also includes consideration of when certain products might be end-of-life and how that affects CVE assignment. 

Ch-ch-changes?

Will the experience of using Docker Hub and Docker Desktop because of Docker’s new CNA status? Short answer: no. Long answer: the core experience of using Docker will not change. We’ve just leveled up in tackling vulnerabilities and providing better notifications about those vulnerabilities.

By better notifications, we mean a centralized repository for our security advisories. Because these reported vulnerabilities will link back to MITRE’s CVE program, it makes them far easier to search for, track, and tell your friends, your dog, or your cat about.

To see the latest vulnerabilities as Docker reports them and CVEs become assigned, check out our advisory location here: https://docs.docker.com/security/. For historic advisories also check https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/ and https://docs.docker.com/engine/release-notes/.

Keep in mind that CVEs that get reported are those that affect the consumers of Docker’s toolset and will require remediation from us and potential upgrade actions from the user, just like any other CVE announcement you might have seen in the news recently.

So keep your fins ready for when CVEs we may announce might apply to you.

Help Docker help you

We still encourage users and security researchers to report anything concerning they encounter with their use of Docker Hub and/or Docker Desktop to [email protected]. (For reference, our security and privacy guidelines can be found here.)

We also still encourage proper configuration according to Docker documentation and to not to do anything Moby wouldn’t do. (That means you should be whale-intentioned in your builds and help your fin-ends and family using Docker configure it properly.)

And while we can’t promise to stop using whale puns any time soon, we can promise to continue to be good stewards for developers — and a big part of that includes proper security procedures.