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Clair

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description Clair Overview

Clair is an open-source static analysis tool developed by Red Hat to identify vulnerabilities in container images. It works by extracting package information from container layers and cross-referencing it against public vulnerability databases, such as Debian's security tracker and the NIST National Vulnerability Database. The project is commonly integrated into registry platforms like Quay to provide automated security scanning. It is primarily used by DevSecOps teams to ensure that deployed containers are free of known vulnerabilities.

help Clair FAQ

What does Clair scan in a container image?

Clair extracts operating-system package information from container image layers and checks it against vulnerability data. It is commonly used to identify known issues in packages from distributions such as Debian, Ubuntu, Alpine, and Red Hat-based systems.

Is Clair a container runtime?

No. Clair is a static vulnerability scanner, not a runtime and not a container orchestrator. It analyzes an image before deployment so teams can decide whether a build should be released.

Who originally developed Clair?

Clair was developed at CoreOS and later became associated with the Cloud Native Computing Foundation ecosystem. It is an open-source project that can be integrated into image registries and CI pipelines.

Can Clair detect every security problem in an application?

No. Clair mainly identifies known vulnerabilities in packages it can recognize inside image layers. It does not replace application testing, secret scanning, runtime monitoring, or manual review of insecure application code.

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