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Docker Hardened Images
NOW FREE

The new standard for building securely

Minimal and hardened images you can trust.

Multi-distro compatibility

Near-zero CVEs

Transparent SBOMs

Provenance you can trust

python
postgres
node
neo4j
helm
dot net

What makes DHI different

product DHI 1 terminal app

Drop-in Adoption

Swap the base image and get instant security gains.

product DHI 2

Apache 2.0 on Open Distros

You can migrate to and from with freedom and without surprises. Pay when you need stronger SLAs, compliance, or to leverage our build service.

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Easiest path to secure supply chain

Drop-in replacements that require minimal changes. Our event-driven build system keeps images continuously updated, and secure customization allows you to tailor hardened images without breaking provenance.

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Built with Docker-Maintained
Packages

Every DHI image is built with system packages that Docker builds, patches, and maintains directly from upstream source.

packages agp dhi

Full Transparency

Signed SBOMs and SLSA Level 3 provenance, with complete CVE data.

product DHI 5

Built for Developers, hardened for security

When upstream stops, your protection continues. Up to 5 extra years of hardened patching, SBOMs and provenance. 

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Security that outlasts upstream

When a software version reaches end-of-life, patches stop but vulnerabilities don’t.
DHI ELS gives you up to five more years of hardened coverage.

CVE patching continues after upstream EOL

SBOMs and provenance maintained throughout

Covers the images you rely on most: Node, Python, PostgreSQL, and more

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Up and running in seconds

Drop-in migration with minimal workflow changes.
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“For the first time, I don’t have to worry about what’s hiding in our base images. That mental overhead is gone, and we can finally focus on the security challenges that are unique to Attentive.”

Jacob Rickerd

Principal Security Engineer at Attentive

Learn How Attentive Cut 90% of CVEs
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A complete security model

A secure starting point for every developer and a secure, sustainable path
forward for organizations operating at scale.
Community

Free for every developer

Secure, transparent, and no-cost for everyone. 

What’s included:

Hardened, minimal images

Near-zero CVEs

Verifiable SBOMs & SLSA Build L3 provenance

Full, unsuppressed CVE visibility

Drop-in adoption, no workflow changes

Full catalog of open source images under Apache 2.0

Built with Docker Hardened System Packages

Upstream cadence for Docker-released patches

Select

Starting at $5k/repo

Production-ready security with compliance support

Everything in community, plus:

FIPS/STIG variants

Critical CVE fixes < 7 days with
SLA-backed continuous patching

Up to 5 customizations per repo (including system packages)

Enterprise

Contact us for pricing

Advanced security controls and unlimited customization

Everything in select, plus:

Critical CVE fixes < 7 days with SLA-backed continuous patching

FIPS/STIG variants

Unlimited customizations, including system packages

Access to Hardened System Packages repo

Full catalog access available

ELS add-on available

Extended Lifecycle Support

Add on

Security and compliance for end-of-life software. Requires DHI Enterprise.

+5 years of hardened updates

Maintains security updates after upstream EOL

SBOMs & provenance

Protects long-lived workloads

Trusted by the ecosystem

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“Security shouldn’t be a premium feature. By making hardened images free, Docker is letting every developer—not just big enterprises—start with a safer foundation. We love seeing tools that reduce noise and toil, and we’re ready to run these secure workloads on Google Cloud from day one.”

Ryan J Salva

Senior Director of Product, Developer Experiences

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“At MongoDB, we believe open source plays a central role in how modern software is built, enabling flexibility, choice, and developer productivity. That’s why we’re excited about free Docker Hardened Images for MongoDB. These images provide trusted, ready-to-deploy building blocks on proven Linux foundations such as Alpine and Debian, and with an Apache 2.0 license, they remain fully open source and free for anyone to use. With Docker Hub’s global reach and MongoDB’s commitment to reliability and safety, we are making it easier to build with confidence on a secure and open foundation for the future.”

Jim Scharf

Chief Technology Officer, MongoDB

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“Docker’s move to make its hardened images freely available under Apache 2.0 underscores its strong commitment to the open source ecosystem. Many CNCF projects can already be found in the DHI catalog, and giving the broader community access to secure, well-maintained building blocks helps us strengthen the software supply chain together. It’s exciting to see Docker continue to invest in open collaboration and secure container infrastructure.”

Jonathan Bryce

Executive Director, Cloud Native Computing Foundation

DHI vs. the Alternatives

Not all “hardened images” are equal.

Docker Hardened Images

Others

Distro

Alpine/Debian

Proprietary

License

Apache 2.0

Mixed

Access

Free, full catalog

Trials / paywalled

Adoption

Drop-in migration

Requires workflow changes

Security

Minimal, near-zero CVEs, SLSA Build L3

Inconsistent

Transparency

SBOMs & Provenance

Partial visibility (suppressed CVEs, proprietary scoring)

Lifecycle

ELS provides up to 5 years

Typically ends up to 6 months

See Docker Hardened Images Enterprise in Action

Get a personalized demo of Docker Hardened Images Enterprise with SLA-backed CVE remediation, FIPS/STIG compliance, and full image customization for your production workloads.

Request a demo

Thank you for your interest. The Docker Team will be in touch.

Thank you for your interest. The Docker Team will be in touch