**License type**: This feature is included with a Cortex XSIAM Premium license. It is also included with any other Cortex XSIAM product that has the Cloud Posture Security or the Cloud Runtime Security add-on.
Container Registry Scanning is a Runtime Security capability that automatically scans container images stored in connected registries to identify security risks and provide continuous visibility into container security.
A container registry is a system that stores and distributes container images. Cortex XSIAM supports scanning container images from managed cloud registries and third-party registry providers. For details, see [Supported container registry integrations](#supported-container-registry-integrations).
By scanning images at rest (before they are deployed to runtime environments), registry scanning helps you find and fix risks early in the container supply chain, and lets you block images that violate policy from being deployed.
After you configure registry scanning, Cortex XSIAM automatically scans images for:
* **Vulnerabilities** in operating system packages (such as Debian, RHEL, and Alpine) and application dependencies (such as Python, Node.js, Java, and Go)
* **Malware** within container images, including binaries and scripts checked against WildFire threat intelligence
* **Exposed secrets**, such as API keys, private keys, credentials, and tokens embedded in image layers
* A software bill of materials (**SBOM**), enumerating the packages, libraries, binaries, and licenses found across image layers
* **Compliance violations**, including image configuration and base image checks against CIS benchmarks, your organizational compliance policies, and security best practices