This guide is for cloud security teams, DevOps engineers, platform administrators, and IT leaders evaluating container security solutions in 2026. It explores Twistlock’s evolution into Prisma Cloud, its key container security capabilities, performance, deployment options, and how it helps organizations secure cloud-native applications and Kubernetes environments.
Key Takeaways about Twistlock and Prisma Cloud
- Twistlock’s container security capabilities are now fully integrated into Palo Alto Networks’ Prisma Cloud platform.
- Prisma Cloud provides end-to-end container security across the build, deploy, and runtime phases of the software development lifecycle.
- The platform combines vulnerability management, compliance monitoring, runtime protection, and risk prioritization in a single cloud-native solution.
- Prisma Cloud supports major container and Kubernetes platforms, including Docker, Kubernetes, VMware Tanzu, and Red Hat OpenShift.
- Organizations use Prisma Cloud to improve cloud security visibility, automate compliance enforcement, and strengthen DevSecOps workflows.
At the time it was acquired by Palo Alto Networks in late 2018, Twistlock was in use by 25% of the Fortune 100. Its automated and scalable container cybersecurity platform has now been incorporated into Palo Alto’s Prisma Cloud.
Since the acquisition, Palo Alto Prisma has added Twistlock’s functions to a larger suite of cloud-based functions known as Prisma Cloud. It is a cloud-native security platform with security and compliance coverage for users, applications, data, and the cloud technology stack.
Twistlock was featured on our list of the top container and Kubernetes security vendors, where Prisma Cloud now takes its place.
What Is Twistlock Container Security?
The Twistlock Cloud Native Cybersecurity Platform provided full lifecycle security for containerized environments. From pipeline to perimeter, Twistlock helped customers deploy containers at scale and secure the entire cloud native stack, from the host OS to serverless functions.
As part of the Prisma Cloud, it helps organizations manage rules governing Docker configurations, containers, images, nodes, plugins, and services. They can take advantage of integration with secrets management tools like CyberArk and HashiCorp. They can also ingest Kubernetes audit data and surface rules to identify events to alert on.
Palo Alto integration efforts have resulted in a platform that provides full visibility into all dependencies from containers during the build, deploy, and run phases. Prisma Cloud aggregates and prioritizes vulnerabilities continuously in CI/CD pipelines and containers running on hosts or on containers as a service, in public and private clouds.
What Are Twistlock’s Key Features?
The Twistlock Platform began as a vulnerability management and compliance tool across the container lifecycle, scanning images and serverless functions to prevent security and compliance issues from progressing through the development pipeline. It also offered continuous monitoring of all registries and environments, defense in depth, cloud-native firewalls, and access control for containers, as well as automated, machine-learning driven runtime defense.
Palo Alto’s Prisma Cloud includes all these features but goes well beyond them to provide protection for critical applications, whether they are in containers, in multi-cloud, or hybrid environments. Prisma Cloud’s capabilities include:
- Securing deployments with Open Policy Agent and craft rules in Rego policy language
- Surfacing all audit alerts and activities in a single pane of glass for analysis
- Scanning container images and enforces policies as part of CI/CD workflows
- Continuously monitoring code in repositories and registries
- Securing managed and unmanaged runtime environments
- Combining risk prioritization with runtime protection at scale
- Full life cycle security for repositories, images, and containers
- Establishing risk prioritization across all known CVEs, remediation guidance, and per-layer image analysis with vulnerability Top 10 lists
- Controlling the alert and blocking severity level for individual and groups of services during build time and runtime
- Minimizing false positives
- Integrating vulnerability management to scan repositories, registries, CI/CD pipelines and runtime environments
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Twistlock?
Twistlock was a cloud-native container security platform focused on securing containerized applications throughout their lifecycle. Following Palo Alto Networks’ acquisition of Twistlock in 2018, its capabilities were incorporated into Prisma Cloud.
Is Twistlock still available as a standalone product?
No. Twistlock no longer exists as a standalone product. Its container security functionality is now part of Palo Alto Networks’ Prisma Cloud platform.
What does Prisma Cloud provide for container security?
Prisma Cloud delivers full lifecycle container security, including vulnerability scanning, compliance monitoring, runtime protection, access controls, risk prioritization, and CI/CD pipeline security.
Which container platforms does Prisma Cloud support?
Prisma Cloud supports Kubernetes, Docker, VMware Tanzu, and Red Hat OpenShift environments. It can secure workloads across public cloud, private cloud, hybrid, and multi-cloud deployments.
How does Prisma Cloud help DevSecOps teams?
Prisma Cloud integrates security into development workflows by scanning repositories, registries, and CI/CD pipelines, enforcing security policies, prioritizing vulnerabilities, and providing remediation guidance throughout the software development lifecycle.
Does Prisma Cloud provide runtime protection?
Yes. Prisma Cloud continuously monitors running containers and workloads, detects suspicious activity, enforces runtime policies, and provides protection against active threats.
How is Prisma Cloud deployed?
Prisma Cloud is delivered as a SaaS platform, enabling organizations to manage container and cloud security from a centralized cloud-based console.
How much does Prisma Cloud cost?
Pricing for Prisma Cloud varies based on your organization’s needs, so it’s best to contact the Palo Alto Networks sales team to learn more.
Bottom Line
Prisma Cloud has evolved beyond Twistlock’s original container security capabilities into a comprehensive cloud-native application protection platform. With full lifecycle security, vulnerability management, compliance monitoring, and runtime protection, it helps organizations secure containers, Kubernetes environments, and cloud workloads from development through production. For businesses seeking centralized visibility and scalable security across modern cloud environments, Prisma Cloud remains a strong choice for container and cloud-native protection.
This article was originally written by Sean Michael Kerner on Dec. 26, 2018 and revised in June 2026..