Getting started with runtime security and Falco

Runtime security in cloud-native environments is increasingly crucial due to the unique challenges containers present, where traditional security tools often fall short. Falco, an open-source project under the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), addresses these challenges by monitoring system calls for detecting unexpected behavior in containers, hosts, and clusters. Falco's deep visibility and context-awareness allow users to identify security threats such as zero-day vulnerabilities and privilege escalation attempts during runtime. It leverages kernel system call analysis and Kubernetes API audit events, offering insights into who did what and where. While Falco excels at flagging suspicious activities, it is a monitoring-only tool and does not automatically take corrective actions. Commercial products like Sysdig Secure can extend Falco’s capabilities by offering comprehensive security workflows and easier management, providing an integrated platform for cloud security posture management.