Host-based logs, container-based threats: How to tell where an attack began securelist.com/host-base…

Although containers provide an isolated runtime environment for applications, this isolation is often overestimated. While containers encapsulate dependencies and ensure consistency, the fact that they share the host system’s kernel introduces security risks.

Based on our experience providing Compromise Assessment, SOC Consulting, and Incident Response services to our customers, we have repeatedly seen issues related to a lack of container visibility. Many organizations focus on monitoring containerized environments for operational health rather than security threats. Some lack the expertise to properly configure logging, while others rely on technology stacks that don’t support effective visibility of running containers.

Environments that suffer from such visibility issues are often challenging for threat hunters and incident responders because it can be difficult to clearly distinguish between processes running inside a container and those executed on the host itself. This ambiguity makes it difficult to determine the true origin of an attack and whether it started in a compromised container or directly on the host. The aim of this blog post is to explain how to restore the execution chain inside a running container using only host-based execution logs, helping threat hunters and incident responders determine the root cause of a compromise.