What are the best AppSec platforms with container support?

Key takeaways

• Containerization increases speed and scale but also amplifies application-layer risk.
• Scanning container images alone does not protect running web applications and APIs.
• Effective container-aware AppSec must include dynamic testing of applications deployed inside containers.
• CI/CD and Kubernetes integration are essential for securing ephemeral, cloud-native workloads.
• Invicti combines container image security with proof-based dynamic runtime testing to ensure that both the container supply chain and the applications running inside containers are protected against real, exploitable risk.

Why is container support critical in a modern AppSec stack?

Containers are now the default runtime for modern applications. Microservices, APIs, and cloud-native workloads are typically packaged and deployed in containerized environments such as Kubernetes. This architectural shift changes how applications are delivered and how they must be secured:

• Containers accelerate deployment cycles, increasing the speed at which vulnerabilities can reach production.
• Microservices and APIs expand the application-layer attack surface.
• Short-lived, ephemeral workloads make point-in-time security ineffective.
• Misconfigurations and vulnerable components propagate quickly across clusters.

AppSec tools for container security must secure the applications running in containers, not just check the container image.

Scanning base images for vulnerable packages is necessary, but it does not tell you whether the running application can be exploited. Attackers target exposed functionality, APIs, authentication flows, and business logic – all of which live at the application layer.

How do containers change application security risk?

Containers amplify both speed and scale. Faster deployment cycles mean that code moves from development to production more quickly. Vulnerabilities that once took weeks to surface may now be live within hours. At the same time, infrastructure is increasingly defined as code, so misconfigurations or vulnerable images can replicate instantly across clusters.

Most importantly, application-layer flaws remain the primary breach vector. SQL injection, broken authentication, insecure deserialization, and API authorization weaknesses are not mitigated by containerization. They are simply deployed faster and at greater scale.

If your AppSec strategy focuses only on container images or infrastructure posture, you are missing the risk that matters most: exploitable weaknesses in running web applications and APIs.

What does “container support” actually mean for AppSec tools?

The term “container support” is often used loosely. In the context of application security, it should definitely mean more than image scanning. At a minimum, AppSec platforms should:

• Support containerized deployment models such as Kubernetes and cloud-native runtimes
• Integrate with CI/CD pipelines that build and deploy containers
• Secure applications and APIs running inside containers
• Scale elastically with ephemeral workloads

True container-aware AppSec combines build-time controls with runtime validation. It connects supply chain security, such as SCA and image scanning, with dynamic testing of the deployed application.

What features should the best AppSec platforms offer for containerized environments?

What one vendor calls container security may be far removed from another vendor’s take, so here are a few questions worth asking to determine the right platform for your environment.

Can the platform secure applications running inside containers?

Look for runtime testing of containerized web applications and APIs. The platform should dynamically assess exposed endpoints, authentication flows, and business logic without relying solely on static assumptions.

A DAST-first approach is especially relevant here because it can identify and often validate vulnerabilities in any running application, including those deployed inside containers.

Does it integrate with container-based CI/CD pipelines?

Modern AppSec platforms must trigger scans during container build and deployment stages. Integration with Kubernetes-based workflows, infrastructure-as-code pipelines, and automated testing environments is essential.

This is crucial for test coverage, but also for another, very practical reason: security that lives outside the delivery workflow will slow teams down and will eventually be bypassed.

Can it scale with ephemeral containers?

Containerized environments are elastic by design. The security platform must scale accordingly:

• Elastic scanning capacity
• Centralized orchestration
• No per-container management overhead

Manual configuration for each container instance is not viable at enterprise scale.

Does it cover modern architectures used with containers?

Containers commonly host API-first applications, microservices communicating internally, and stateful authentication and session flows. A container-friendly AppSec platform should handle complex authentication, API discovery, and multi-step workflows typical of cloud-native applications.

Does it support enterprise governance and compliance?

Whether or not your application environments are containerized, your compliance obligations remain the same. The best AppSec platforms provide:

• Centralized visibility across containerized apps
• Policy enforcement and audit-ready reporting
• Easy alignment with standards such as PCI DSS, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and DORA

While engineering may primarily evaluate tools for their development workflow fit, governance is often the deciding factor for CISOs standardizing on a platform.

How we evaluated AppSec platforms with container support

For this list, we evaluated vendors based on:

• Ability to secure containerized applications at runtime
• CI/CD and Kubernetes compatibility
• Accuracy and false-positive reduction
• Scalability across large container fleets
• Enterprise governance and reporting maturity

We also examined whether “container support” primarily meant image scanning, or whether the platform could dynamically test applications deployed inside containers.

What are the best AppSec platforms with container support today?

Below are seven leading platforms that support containerized environments in different ways, evaluated based on application-layer depth, platform maturity, and enterprise readiness.

1. Invicti: The most complete AppSec platform for containerized applications

Best for: Large enterprises and cloud-native teams running containerized web applications and APIs at scale.

Invicti delivers a unified application security platform designed for modern, container-based architectures. It combines dynamic testing, API security, SAST, SCA, and container security within a single DAST-first platform.

Why Invicti ranks #1:

• Secures applications and APIs running inside containers, not just container images
• Proof-based scanning validates real, exploitable vulnerabilities in deployed applications
• Integrates seamlessly into CI/CD pipelines that build and deploy containers
• Scales automatically across Kubernetes clusters and ephemeral workloads
• Correlates findings across DAST, SAST, API security, and SCA for unified risk visibility
• Provides centralized governance, reporting, and compliance alignment

Crucially, Invicti uses proof-based DAST as its verification layer. Static findings from code or image scans can be validated dynamically against the running application to reduce noise and prioritize what attackers can actually exploit.

By combining container image security with dynamic testing of live applications, Invicti ensures that containerization does not become a blind spot in the AppSec program.

2. Acunetix: Strong container-aware AppSec for growing teams

Best for: SMBs and mid-market organizations securing containerized web applications without enterprise-level complexity and image analysis needs.

Acunetix provides robust dynamic application security testing with support for applications deployed in containerized environments. It integrates into CI/CD workflows and enables teams to scan web applications and APIs running inside containers.

Strengths include a proven DAST engine with validated vulnerability detection, cloud-based deployment for simplified adoption, and CI/CD integration compatible with container build pipelines, which makes Acunetix suitable for smaller Kubernetes and container environments.

Compared to Invicti, Acunetix is generally less focused on large-scale governance and multi-cluster enterprise orchestration. However, for organizations beginning their container security journey that already have a separate image scanning process, it offers strong application-layer coverage with lower operational overhead.

3. Veracode: Enterprise AppSec breadth with container workflow support

Veracode is positioned as an enterprise AppSec platform offering SAST, DAST, SCA, centralized reporting, and policy management. It integrates with CI/CD pipelines and supports container image scanning workflows. Strengths include broad testing coverage across code and dependencies, governance-oriented reporting and policy enforcement, and an established enterprise presence.

Container support is typically focused on image scanning and CI/CD workflows rather than runtime testing of applications running inside containerized environments. Enterprises evaluating Veracode for containerized applications should clearly distinguish between image-level security and dynamic testing of deployed services.

4. Checkmarx: Code-centric security with container integration

Checkmarx is widely used for SAST and SCA within large development organizations. It supports CI/CD integration and container image scanning as part of its broader supply chain security capabilities. Strengths include static analysis for large codebases, centralized visibility across repositories, and enterprise governance features.

When assessing container support, organizations should differentiate between image-level scanning and dynamic testing of applications deployed inside containers. Buyers seeking deep runtime validation of containerized web applications may need to evaluate how Checkmarx’s DAST capabilities fit into that requirement.

5. Black Duck (Synopsys): Supply chain and compliance-driven AppSec

Black Duck offers a broad application security portfolio with a focus on software composition analysis, SBOM generation, and container image analysis. Strengths include deep open-source and supply chain risk visibility, strong compliance alignment, and a comprehensive enterprise feature set.

The platform’s container security narrative is often centered on image and dependency analysis, with runtime application testing positioned as a separate capability. Organizations focused on dynamic testing of containerized web applications should assess how those capabilities integrate within the broader portfolio.

6. Snyk: Developer-first container and supply chain security

Snyk is used for container image scanning, open source dependency analysis, and infrastructure-as-code security. It integrates directly into developer workflows and modern DevOps toolchains. Strengths include container image and dependency scanning, developer-friendly integrations, and fast pipeline feedback.

Snyk is generally stronger in supply chain and build-time security than in deep, dynamic testing of running web applications and APIs. Organizations requiring DAST-backed runtime validation for containerized deployments should evaluate that capability carefully.

7. GitLab (Ultimate Security Features): Consolidated DevSecOps workflow

GitLab Ultimate includes built-in SAST, DAST, dependency scanning, and container scanning directly within CI/CD pipelines. Strengths include workflow consolidation, native CI/CD integration, and single-platform visibility.

Runtime testing of applications deployed in containers depends heavily on how organizations configure and orchestrate their CI/CD and testing environments. While convenient for consolidation, security depth may not match specialized best-of-breed AppSec platforms.

How should teams choose the right AppSec platform for container environments?

When evaluating vendors, focus on full application-layer security, not just container images. Ask them:

• Can the platform dynamically test applications and APIs running inside containers?
• Does it validate exploitability to reduce false positives?
• Does it scale with Kubernetes and ephemeral workloads?
• Does it support centralized governance across clusters?

Avoid tools that treat containers purely as static infrastructure. Container security without application-layer validation leaves exploitable gaps.

Final thoughts: Containers amplify risk unless AppSec keeps up

Containers accelerate innovation but can also accelerate exposure. Without runtime application-layer testing, organizations that rely on image scanning and static analysis alone are leaving unaddressed risk on the table.

A DAST-first, unified AppSec platform helps to ensure that containerized deployments are also tested the way attackers see them: from the outside in. By validating real exploitability, correlating findings across testing modalities, and integrating into modern CI/CD workflows, security teams can reduce noise and focus on what truly matters.

See why Invicti is the leading AppSec platform for securing containerized applications and APIs at scale – request a demo to explore how dynamic testing and container security work together within a unified platform.

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