Rule Information
Tags
dockerdockerfileapkpackage-manageralpinecacheoptimizationimage-sizebest-practicelinux
CWE References
Interactive Playground
Experiment with the vulnerable code and security rule below. Edit the code to see how the rule detects different vulnerability patterns.
pathfinder scan --ruleset docker/DOCKER-BP-007 --project .1
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rule.py
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About This Rule
Understanding the vulnerability and how it is detected
This rule detects RUN instructions using Alpine Linux's `apk add` command without the `--no-cache` flag. Alpine's package manager caches downloaded packages in `/var/cache/apk/`, which unnecessarily increases Docker image size. The --no-cache flag prevents caching, keeping images minimal.
How to Fix
Recommended remediation steps
- 1Review your Dockerfile to address the apk add without --no-cache issue
- 2Follow Docker official best practices for image building
- 3Use docker build --check to validate Dockerfile syntax and best practices
References
External resources and documentation
Similar Rules
Explore related security rules for Docker
MEDIUM
Base Image Uses :latest Tag
Base image uses ':latest' tag or no tag (defaults to latest). This makes builds non-reproducible.
INFO
Deprecated MAINTAINER Instruction
MAINTAINER instruction is deprecated. Use LABEL org.opencontainers.image.authors instead.
LOW
apt-get Without --no-install-recommends
apt-get install without --no-install-recommends. This installs unnecessary packages, increasing image size and attack surface.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about apk add Without --no-cache
apk add without --no-cache. Package cache remains in image, increasing size by 2-5 MB.
Review the secure code example in the playground above and apply the recommended pattern to your Dockerfile or docker-compose.yml.
New feature
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The apk add Without --no-cache rule runs in CI and posts inline review comments on the exact lines — no dashboard, no SARIF viewer.