Try Chainguard
Overview
Chainguard is a software supply chain security company that produces minimal, hardened container base images with zero known CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures). Founded in 2021 by former Google engineers who worked on Kubernetes and supply chain security, Chainguard addresses the root cause of many software vulnerabilities: the bloated container base images that ship with hundreds of unnecessary packages, each potentially containing exploitable vulnerabilities.
Chainguard's flagship products — Chainguard Images — are purpose-built minimal container images rebuilt daily from source with only the packages required to run the application. The result is dramatically fewer CVEs: a standard Python base image might have 200+ known CVEs; Chainguard's Python image has zero. This doesn't just reduce attack surface — it also eliminates the constant cycle of patching and vulnerability remediation that consumes security team time.
In 2026, Chainguard has expanded to cover AI/ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow) and popular open-source tools, addressing the unique supply chain security challenges of AI workloads. The company is trusted by major technology companies and financial institutions who have adopted its images as the secure foundation for their container infrastructure.
Key Features
Zero-CVE Container Images
Minimal, hardened images for 1000+ popular tools and frameworks. Rebuilt daily from source to stay current. Zero known CVEs as the standard, not the exception.
Daily Rebuild from Source
Images rebuilt from source code daily, immediately incorporating upstream security fixes. Not waiting for vendor patches — the most current secure builds always available.
Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)
Cryptographically signed SBOMs for every image. Complete transparency into what's in each image — required by modern software supply chain compliance.
AI/ML Secure Images
Hardened images for PyTorch, TensorFlow, Jupyter, and other AI/ML frameworks. Addresses growing security concerns around AI workload supply chains.
Sigstore Integration
All images signed with Sigstore (Cosign) for supply chain integrity verification. Prevents tampering and verifies authenticity of every container pulled.
SLSA Compliance
Images meet SLSA (Supply Chain Levels for Software Artifacts) framework requirements. Provides the supply chain security attestations enterprises need for compliance.
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- Zero-CVE images eliminate most vulnerability remediation work
- Daily rebuilds keep images current automatically
- Strong SBOM and signing for compliance
- AI/ML image coverage for modern workloads
- Founded by top supply chain security experts
- Reduces security toil dramatically
Disadvantages
- Premium pricing vs free community base images
- Requires workflow migration to use Chainguard images
- Not a complete security platform (supply chain focus only)
- Learning curve for teams new to supply chain security
Pricing Plans
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Free | Limited images, community support |
| Production | Custom | Full image catalog, commercial SLAs, SBOMs |
| Enterprise | Custom | Extended support, custom images, compliance reporting |
Best Use Cases
Chainguard Excels At:
- Organizations running containerized applications at scale
- Enterprises with compliance requirements (SLSA, NIST)
- DevSecOps teams wanting to reduce vulnerability remediation toil
- Companies with AI/ML workloads needing secure base images
May Not Be Ideal For:
- Non-containerized workloads
- Organizations without Kubernetes/Docker infrastructure
- Small teams without container security maturity
How It Compares
Chainguard vs Docker Official Images
Docker official images are widely used but have many CVEs. Chainguard Images have zero CVEs by design. The trade-off is Chainguard's premium pricing vs free Docker images.
Chainguard vs Snyk
Snyk scans existing images for vulnerabilities. Chainguard prevents vulnerabilities from existing in images in the first place — a prevention vs detection distinction.
Final Verdict
Our Recommendation
Chainguard solves the software supply chain security problem at the root cause level. Rather than endlessly scanning and patching vulnerable container images, Chainguard's minimal-by-design approach simply eliminates the vast majority of CVEs before they can be exploited. For security teams exhausted by the constant churn of container vulnerability management, Chainguard Images represent a fundamentally better approach. The daily rebuild and SBOM capabilities also address modern compliance requirements that traditional container images can't satisfy.