There is no universal winner. The best private container registry is the one that matches your existing identity system while letting you separate pull, push, deletion, administration, and CI/CD access at the narrowest practical scope. AWS-centered teams should start with Amazon ECR; Azure teams with Azure Container Registry; Google Cloud teams with Artifact Registry; GitLab and GitHub teams should examine their native registries; and teams wanting a dedicated repository-permission model can evaluate Project Quay.
Provider documentation demonstrates available controls, not a secure configuration by itself. Your result depends on correctly scoped identities, protected image paths, credential rotation, and network design.
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What stronger image access control actually means
A private registry keeps images out of anonymous public access, but privacy alone does not answer the operational questions that create risk:
- Which engineers may pull an image?
- Which build identity may push it?
- Who may delete tags or repositories?
- Can a production runtime pull without publishing?
- Can registry administrators be separated from application teams?
- Can high-value release repositories require an elevated role?
Evaluate each candidate on permission boundaries, action granularity, automation credentials, change protection, identity integration, network restrictions, operational ownership, and total cost. A registry that supports a feature still requires you to configure it correctly; overbroad roles or long-lived tokens can defeat an otherwise capable design.
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Start with your existing identity and delivery systems
Identity fit is the most practical first filter. Using the cloud or source-control identity system your team already operates can reduce duplicate users, groups, and credential stores. That integration does not prove stronger security, so verify the resulting effective permissions rather than assuming the integration is safe.
| Team environment | Natural candidates | First access-control questions |
|---|---|---|
| AWS workloads and IAM users or roles | Amazon ECR | Can repository policies separate cross-account readers, publishers, and administrators? Which IAM and registry permissions are also required? |
| Azure workloads and Microsoft Entra ID | Azure Container Registry | Which Azure RBAC role and assignment scope fit each repository, identity, and registry mode? Are Conditional Access and private connectivity required? |
| Google Cloud workloads and IAM | Google Artifact Registry | Which predefined or custom IAM role gives each build, scanner, and runtime only the required repository access? |
| GitLab projects and pipelines | GitLab Container Registry | How do project visibility, CI_JOB_TOKEN scope, and protected repository rules affect the release path? |
| GitHub repositories and Actions | GitHub Container Registry | Is the package linked to its repository, and are tokens limited to scopes such as read:packages? |
| Dedicated registry evaluation | Project Quay | Can repository-level user and team permissions match your operating model, and can your team run the service reliably? |
How the main registries handle permissions
Amazon ECR: repository policies plus AWS IAM
Amazon ECR is a strong starting point for AWS-centered organizations because access can be expressed through AWS identities and repository-specific policies. AWS says that, by default, only the account that creates a private repository can access it. A user must also have the IAM permission ecr:GetAuthorizationToken to authenticate before pushing or pulling.
ECR has more than one policy layer. Resource-based repository policies name users or roles and the actions they may perform on a particular repository. Registry policies govern registry-level operations such as replication configuration, pull-through cache rules, and repository creation. AWS recommends granting only the required actions rather than using the wildcard ecr:*.
Designing ECR roles
- Runtime pull role: allow only the image-download actions needed by the workload and the authorization-token permission required for authentication.
- Build publisher role: limit publishing to the repositories produced by that pipeline; do not add deletion or registry-configuration actions unless the pipeline truly needs them.
- Release administrator role: keep repository and registry configuration separate from normal image use.
- Cross-account access: test both the consuming account’s IAM permissions and the repository policy in the owning account.
When diagnosing an ECR denial, inspect IAM, the repository policy, and any registry-level policy involved in the requested operation. A role that looks correct in one layer can still fail because another layer is missing or overly restrictive.
Questions to settle before choosing ECR
- Do teams need repository-specific permissions or only account-wide groups?
- Will other AWS accounts read or publish images?
- Can workload identities receive short-lived credentials instead of stored passwords?
- Who can create repositories, alter replication, or change pull-through-cache behavior?
Azure Container Registry: Microsoft Entra ID and Azure RBAC
Azure Container Registry (ACR) uses Microsoft Entra ID for authentication and Azure role-based access control (RBAC) for authorization. Microsoft’s security guidance covers least-privilege roles, repository-scoped permissions, and Conditional Access. The built-in-role reference includes distinct roles for read-only audit and monitoring scenarios as well as roles with broader registry operations.
Do not select a role by its display name alone. Confirm its actual control-plane and data-plane permissions, the assignment scope, and the registry mode in use. A role assigned at the subscription or registry level can grant considerably more reach than the same conceptual role scoped to a repository.
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ACR implementation checks
- Map each human group, build identity, scanner, and runtime to the repositories it must access.
- Choose the narrowest supported Azure RBAC assignment scope for each identity.
- Separate read, write, delete, and administrative operations where the available roles permit it.
- Review Conditional Access requirements for interactive users and service identities.
- Determine whether policy requires private network connectivity, and validate that path independently from RBAC.
- Recheck permissions after changing the registry SKU or other configuration that affects feature availability.
The cited documentation does not establish ACR plan prices or a complete tier matrix. Obtain current regional pricing and SKU requirements for your usage profile rather than inferring them from the access-control model.
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Google Artifact Registry uses Google Cloud IAM to control who may create, view, edit, or delete registry data. Google provides predefined roles for common needs, including CI/CD setup, and supports custom roles when a predefined role is too broad or a third-party integration needs a tailored set of permissions.
Artifact Registry access design
- Give a build identity write access only to the repository or repositories it publishes.
- Give vulnerability scanners read access to the repositories they inspect, not permission to modify images.
- Give runtimes read access to the exact repositories and locations they consume.
- Use a custom role only when you have documented the required permissions and a process to review changes.
- Check repository scope for every service account; a project-level grant may expose unrelated repositories.
Artifact Registry is a natural fit when your pipelines and workloads already use Google Cloud IAM, but the security outcome still depends on grant scope and service-account lifecycle management.
GitLab Container Registry: project boundaries and protected repositories
GitLab’s container-registry visibility settings are connected to project visibility and access. GitLab’s API documentation states that the CI_JOB_TOKEN used for a registry API request can access the registry of the project that created the pipeline. That project boundary can be useful for reducing CI reach, provided pipelines are organized so that the creating project is the intended trust boundary.
GitLab also documents protected container repositories. A matching protection rule can set a minimum access level for pushing or updating images. The feature became generally available in GitLab 17.8, so confirm the precise GitLab offering and version before relying on it.
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- Set project and registry visibility deliberately; do not inherit a broader project audience by accident.
- Identify which project creates each pipeline and therefore which registry the
CI_JOB_TOKENcan reach. - Create protection rules for production or release image paths.
- Set the minimum access level required to push or update those protected repositories.
- Test a normal developer, a pipeline job, and a release maintainer separately.
GitHub Container Registry: package visibility, links, and token scopes
GitHub Container Registry (GHCR) provides package access and visibility controls. A package automatically inherits a linked repository’s access permissions only when the repository is linked before the package is published. Verify the package’s actual permission relationship; do not assume that repository settings apply retroactively or that every package is linked.
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For image access, GitHub documents token scopes including read:packages. GitHub recommends using GITHUB_TOKEN in GitHub Actions for registries that support granular permissions. Grant a workflow only the package permissions it needs, and keep publishing workflows distinct from runtime pull workflows.
GHCR verification steps
- Confirm whether the image package was linked to its repository before publication.
- Inspect package visibility and explicit access rather than relying on the repository’s apparent settings.
- Use a read-only package scope for consumers that never publish.
- Use
GITHUB_TOKENfor Actions jobs where its granular permissions meet the requirement. - Test access as a package consumer, publisher, and administrator.
Project Quay: repository-level user and team permissions
Project Quay documents private repositories where users or teams on a permissions list can push to or pull from a repository. That direct repository-level model is relevant when the main requirement is to assign named teams to specific image locations.
The reviewed documentation does not establish Quay’s comparative operating effort, deployment suitability, price, support terms, or availability characteristics. Evaluate those dimensions separately, especially if your team would operate the registry itself rather than consume it as a managed service.
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| Control | ECR | ACR | Artifact Registry | GitLab Registry | GHCR | Project Quay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary identity model | AWS IAM plus ECR policies | Microsoft Entra ID plus Azure RBAC | Google Cloud IAM | GitLab project and pipeline permissions | GitHub package permissions and token scopes | Users or teams assigned to private repositories |
| Repository or package scoping | Repository policies | Repository-scoped permissions documented | Repository and project scope must be checked in IAM grants | Project boundary and protected repository rules | Package visibility and linked-repository relationship | Private repository permissions list |
| Pull versus push separation | Use specific IAM and repository actions | Select distinct least-privilege roles where supported | Use predefined or custom IAM roles | Set minimum access for protected repositories | Use scopes such as read:packages and granular workflow permissions |
Assign only required repository access |
| Registry administration | Separate registry policies cover replication, pull-through cache, and repository creation | Control-plane permissions depend on role and scope | IAM roles govern registry data and administration | Depends on project and offering permissions | Depends on package and organization permissions | Not established in the reviewed source |
| Change protection | Policy design required; no universal protected-path feature established here | Role and network design required | IAM design required | Protected container repositories | Package permissions and workflow controls | Repository permission list |
This table compares documented control patterns, not security performance. The sources do not provide a cross-provider security score, performance benchmark, or like-for-like price ranking.
A repeatable selection procedure
- Inventory identities. List human groups, CI/CD jobs, scanners, deployment systems, and runtime identities. Record which cloud account, project, or source-control organization owns each one.
- Map image paths. Separate development, test, and production repositories or package namespaces. Mark images that require release protection.
- Write required actions. For every identity, specify pull, push, overwrite, delete, scan, repository creation, replication, and administration separately.
- Choose the narrowest boundary. Prefer repository, project, or package scope over registry-wide or subscription-wide grants when the platform supports it.
- Choose credential lifetimes. Prefer documented workload identities, job tokens, or short-lived credentials. Define rotation and revocation owners for any token that must persist.
- Model network exposure. Decide whether private endpoints or restricted network paths are mandatory. Network restriction complements authentication; it does not replace authorization.
- Test effective permissions. Perform positive and negative tests for pull, push, overwrite, delete, and administration. Test from the same identity and network path used in production.
- Document recovery. Record who can restore access, rotate credentials, recover deleted repositories or tags where supported, and change protection rules during an incident.
- Reassess cost and operations. Compare storage, transfer, scanning, support, required plan tiers, audit retention, availability, and recovery for a real usage profile. No current cross-vendor price comparison is established here.
Common failure modes and fixes
A runtime can push images
Cause: The runtime inherited a broad writer or administrator role. Fix: Replace it with a pull-only identity and verify that push, overwrite, and delete operations fail while pulls continue to work.
A valid ECR role still receives an authorization error
Cause: ECR authentication requires ecr:GetAuthorizationToken, and effective access can also depend on repository and registry policy layers. Fix: Inspect all applicable IAM, repository, and registry policies and remove wildcard grants after identifying the exact missing action.
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Cause: The assignment was made at a broad control-plane scope or the selected role includes wider data-plane permissions. Fix: Review the role definition and assignment scope for the specific registry mode, then move the grant to the narrowest supported repository scope.
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A GitLab job reaches the wrong registry
Cause: The pipeline’s CI_JOB_TOKEN is tied to the project that created the pipeline, not necessarily the project the operator expected. Fix: Recheck project ownership and pipeline placement, then test the token against the intended registry.
A GitLab production image can be changed by ordinary developers
Cause: No matching protected container-repository rule exists, or its minimum access level is too low. Fix: Add a protection rule for the release path and set the required access level; verify behavior on the GitLab version and offering in use.
A GitHub package does not follow repository permissions
Cause: The package was not linked to the repository before publication, or package-level settings override assumptions. Fix: Inspect the package’s own visibility and access relationship and use explicit package permissions where needed.
Network isolation is mistaken for authorization
Cause: A private endpoint or restricted route limits where requests originate but does not define which authenticated identity may pull or push. Fix: evaluate network controls and identity policies as separate layers, testing both.
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How to validate a least-privilege design
- Pull test: A runtime can retrieve approved digests but cannot push, overwrite, or delete.
- Build test: A CI identity can publish only to its assigned development or release path.
- Protection test: An ordinary developer cannot update a protected production path.
- Administration test: Registry configuration changes require a separate administrative identity.
- Cross-boundary test: An identity from another account, project, or organization receives only the explicitly intended access.
- Revocation test: Removing a group membership, token, or role promptly removes access.
- Audit test: Logs identify the identity and action well enough to investigate an unexpected push or deletion.
Which registry should your team shortlist?
Choose ECR when AWS is already your control plane
ECR is the logical first candidate when workloads, roles, and account boundaries are already managed in AWS. Its repository policies and separate registry-policy layer can support detailed separation, but the team must understand how those layers combine.
Choose ACR when Entra ID and Azure RBAC are central
ACR fits organizations that want registry access expressed through Microsoft Entra identities, Azure RBAC, repository scope, and Conditional Access. Confirm role definitions, SKU-dependent behavior, and private-network requirements before committing.
Choose Artifact Registry when Google Cloud IAM is the established model
Artifact Registry is a strong fit for teams already managing service accounts and project boundaries in Google Cloud, especially when predefined roles cover the workflow or a reviewed custom role is warranted.
Choose GitLab Container Registry when project pipelines define ownership
GitLab is attractive when source, pipelines, and image repositories should share project boundaries and protected repository rules. Verify the exact CI_JOB_TOKEN behavior and GitLab version or offering.
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Choose GHCR when GitHub package governance is the priority
GHCR makes sense for GitHub-centered teams that can manage package visibility, repository links, and token scopes as explicit controls. Verify package linkage before assuming repository permissions apply.
Evaluate Project Quay when repository-level team lists are the key requirement
Quay belongs on a shortlist when private repositories with explicit user or team permission lists match your access model. Separately assess operating responsibility, support, deployment, price, and recovery because those factors are not established by the reviewed access-control documentation.
What the available evidence does not prove
The documented controls do not establish that one provider is universally more secure, faster, cheaper, or easier to operate. No comparable cross-vendor benchmark, named statistic, or current price ranking is established. Treat each provider’s documentation as a description of available mechanisms, then validate the effective configuration in your own identity, pipeline, and network environment.
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