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Microsoft Makes WSL Containers Generally Available with Defender and Intune Controls

· Original article ↗

Summary

Microsoft has made WSL Containers generally available, adding tools for managing Linux containers on Windows. Defender for Endpoint provides container activity visibility, while Intune can disable the feature or restrict image sources to approved registries.

Key points

  • WSL Containers is generally available and can be installed with wsl --update.
  • The new wslc.exe tool and container.exe alias support building, running, and deploying Linux containers on Windows.
  • A WSL Containers API lets Windows applications launch and interact with Linux containers programmatically.
  • Microsoft Defender for Endpoint can show process, file, and network activity inside containers and associate it with the Windows host.
  • Intune can disable WSL Containers or restrict developers to images from approved container registries.
  • Microsoft says it is working on Compose-style support and improvements to networking and cross-OS file performance.

Article Details

Event Type
General availability release of Linux container support for Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).
Impact
WSL Containers adds tools and an API for building, running, deploying, and managing Linux containers on Windows. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides visibility into container process, file, and network activity, while Intune can disable the feature or restrict image pulls to approved registries. Microsoft reports up to 2x faster performance when Linux environments access Windows files.

Vendors

MicrosoftMicrosoft has made WSL Containers generally available, adding a new wslc.exe command and a container.exe alias for building, running, and deploying Linux containers on Windows.

Products

Microsoft Defender for EndpointThe release also brings enterprise controls through Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Intune, plus support from VS Code Dev Containers, Aspire, and the VS Code Containers extension.Microsoft IntuneMicrosoft Intune can also disable WSL Containers entirely or restrict developers to images from approved container registries.Windows Subsystem for LinuxMicrosoft is taking Windows Subsystem for Linux beyond just running Linux distributions, as WSL Containers is now generally available.WSL ContainersMicrosoft has made WSL Containers generally available, adding a new wslc.exe command and a container.exe alias for building, running, and deploying Linux containers on Windows.

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