Does Patching Containers Feel Like Whack-a-Mole?

Years ago, I thought switching to containers meant no more patching things—a dream come true—but the work just switched jerseys.

Instead of remoting into VMs and running updates, I’m now hunting down Dockerfiles and tweaking base images. If anything, patching has become less fun and more scavenger hunt.

Then I stumbled across Copacetic, a new project that’s makes it possible to automate container patching.

Meet the CNCF project Copacetic

Copacetic, or "Copa" for short, is a powerful CLI tool built in Go and based on BuildKit, designed to streamline container image patching. By leveraging vulnerability scanning tools like Trivy, Copa can automatically patch existing container images, saving developers time and effort.

Copa works by parsing vulnerability reports to identify necessary update packages, which are then processed using appropriate package managers like apt or apk. It then applies these updates to the container image with BuildKit, ensuring the image is up to date without requiring a rebuild.

One of Copa’s key benefits is that it doesn't require you to modify their container build process or use specific tools to support patching. Additionally, it reduces the need for specialized knowledge, as it relies on the vulnerability remediation embedded in existing reports from popular scanning tools. This makes it much easier to patch OS-level vulnerabilities without waiting for external dependencies or expert intervention.

Here's a short 4min lightning talk of Copacetic in action:

3 Ways Copacetic Tames CVEs

I’ve seen Copa shine in three practical patterns:

• Local Patching: Run the Copa CLI or Docker Desktop plugin. Patch an image on your machine, push it to your registry—done. Perfect for quick fixes.
• CI/CD Integration: Add Trivy and Copa to GitHub Actions. It patches mid-build, keeps tags steady, and cuts vulnerabilities without breaking your flow. Security, streamlined.
• Registry Automation: Use a little scripting & Copa to scan your registry, patch images in bulk, and push them back with fresh tags. A cron job can drive it—devs grab the updates with no hasle.

Why Copacetic Matters (and What’s Next)

This post unpacked the mess: containers didn’t kill patching—they're still a headache, and Copacetic is like aspirin for the pain.

It’s a new tool that automates the slog—locally, in CI/CD, or at scale—without demanding a full rework. Not every vulnerability vanishes, but it dials the chaos down to manageable.

Ready to simplify patching? The next post walks you step-by-step through using Copacetic—those CVEs are sitting there, waiting for you.