diff --git a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
index 950b7997a..c2ce2203b 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
+++ b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -1,6 +1,25 @@
 # DO NOT MODIFY THIS FILE DIRECTLY. IT IS AUTO-GENERATED BY .devcontainer/scripts/generate-dockerfile.sh
 
 # ---/Dockerfile---
+# The NetAlertX Dockerfile has 3 stages:
+#
+# Stage 1. Builder - NetAlertX Requires special tools and packages to build our virtual environment, but
+# which are not needed in future stages.  We build the builder and extract the venv for runner to use as 
+# a base.
+#
+# Stage 2. Runner builds the bare minimum requirements to create an operational NetAlertX. The primary
+# reason for breaking at this stage is it leaves the system in a proper state for devcontainer operation
+# This image also provides a break-out point for uses who wish to execute the anti-pattern of using a 
+# docker container as a VM for experimentation and various development patterns.
+#
+# Stage 3. Hardened removes root, sudoers, folders, permissions, and locks the system down into a read-only
+# compatible image. While NetAlertX does require some read-write operations, this image can guarantee the 
+# code pushed out by the project is the only code which will run on the system after each container restart.
+# It reduces the chance of system hijacking and operates with all modern security protocols in place as is
+# expected from a security appliance.
+#
+# This file can be built with `docker compose -f docker-compose.yml up --build --force-recreate`
+
 FROM alpine:3.22 AS builder
 
 ARG INSTALL_DIR=/app
@@ -12,11 +31,12 @@ ENV PATH="/opt/venv/bin:$PATH"
 COPY requirements.txt /tmp/requirements.txt
 RUN apk add --no-cache bash shadow python3 python3-dev gcc musl-dev libffi-dev openssl-dev git \
     && python -m venv /opt/venv
-RUN pip install -r /tmp/requirements.txt
 
-# From this point on the Venv is owned by root without any read/write/execute permissions for root or group.
-# This makes it easy to copy into hardened stage without worrying about permissions and keeps image size small
-RUN chmod -R u-rwx,g-rwx /opt
+# Create virtual environment owned by root, but readable by everyone else. This makes it easy to copy 
+# into hardened stage without worrying about permissions and keeps image size small. Keeping the commands
+# together makes for a slightly smaller image size.
+RUN pip install -r /tmp/requirements.txt && \
+    chmod -R u-rwx,g-rwx /opt
 
 # second stage is the main runtime stage with just the minimum required to run the application
 # The runner is used for both devcontainer, and as a base for the hardened stage.
@@ -64,7 +84,7 @@ ENV SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN_TMP=${SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN}/tmp
 ENV SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN_LOG=${SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN}/logs
 ENV PHP_FPM_CONFIG_FILE=${SYSTEM_SERVICES_PHP_FOLDER}/php-fpm.conf
 ENV READ_ONLY_FOLDERS="${NETALERTX_BACK} ${NETALERTX_FRONT} ${NETALERTX_SERVER} ${SYSTEM_SERVICES} \
-                       ${SYSTEM_SERVICES_CONFIG} /opt /opt/venv"
+                       ${SYSTEM_SERVICES_CONFIG}"
 ENV READ_WRITE_FOLDERS="${NETALERTX_CONFIG} ${NETALERTX_DB} ${NETALERTX_API} ${NETALERTX_LOG} \
                        ${NETALERTX_PLUGINS_LOG} ${SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN} ${SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN_TMP} \
                        ${SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN_LOG}"
@@ -160,6 +180,8 @@ RUN chown -R ${READ_ONLY_USER}:${READ_ONLY_GROUP} ${READ_ONLY_FOLDERS} && \
     chown ${READ_ONLY_USER}:${READ_ONLY_GROUP} /entrypoint.sh && \
     chmod 005 /entrypoint.sh ${SYSTEM_SERVICES}/*.sh /app
     
+# Copy the virtualenv from the builder stage
+COPY --from=builder --chown=20212:20212 ${VIRTUAL_ENV} ${VIRTUAL_ENV}
 
 # remove sudoers,  alpine installers pacakges, and all users and groups except
 # readonly and netalertx
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 8c4b29a24..d4fe19b6c 100755
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,22 @@
+# The NetAlertX Dockerfile has 3 stages:
+#
+# Stage 1. Builder - NetAlertX Requires special tools and packages to build our virtual environment, but
+# which are not needed in future stages.  We build the builder and extract the venv for runner to use as 
+# a base.
+#
+# Stage 2. Runner builds the bare minimum requirements to create an operational NetAlertX. The primary
+# reason for breaking at this stage is it leaves the system in a proper state for devcontainer operation
+# This image also provides a break-out point for uses who wish to execute the anti-pattern of using a 
+# docker container as a VM for experimentation and various development patterns.
+#
+# Stage 3. Hardened removes root, sudoers, folders, permissions, and locks the system down into a read-only
+# compatible image. While NetAlertX does require some read-write operations, this image can guarantee the 
+# code pushed out by the project is the only code which will run on the system after each container restart.
+# It reduces the chance of system hijacking and operates with all modern security protocols in place as is
+# expected from a security appliance.
+#
+# This file can be built with `docker compose -f docker-compose.yml up --build --force-recreate`
+
 FROM alpine:3.22 AS builder
 
 ARG INSTALL_DIR=/app
@@ -9,11 +28,12 @@ ENV PATH="/opt/venv/bin:$PATH"
 COPY requirements.txt /tmp/requirements.txt
 RUN apk add --no-cache bash shadow python3 python3-dev gcc musl-dev libffi-dev openssl-dev git \
     && python -m venv /opt/venv
-RUN pip install -r /tmp/requirements.txt
 
-# From this point on the Venv is owned by root without any read/write/execute permissions for root or group.
-# This makes it easy to copy into hardened stage without worrying about permissions and keeps image size small
-RUN chmod -R u-rwx,g-rwx /opt
+# Create virtual environment owned by root, but readable by everyone else. This makes it easy to copy 
+# into hardened stage without worrying about permissions and keeps image size small. Keeping the commands
+# together makes for a slightly smaller image size.
+RUN pip install -r /tmp/requirements.txt && \
+    chmod -R u-rwx,g-rwx /opt
 
 # second stage is the main runtime stage with just the minimum required to run the application
 # The runner is used for both devcontainer, and as a base for the hardened stage.
@@ -61,7 +81,7 @@ ENV SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN_TMP=${SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN}/tmp
 ENV SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN_LOG=${SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN}/logs
 ENV PHP_FPM_CONFIG_FILE=${SYSTEM_SERVICES_PHP_FOLDER}/php-fpm.conf
 ENV READ_ONLY_FOLDERS="${NETALERTX_BACK} ${NETALERTX_FRONT} ${NETALERTX_SERVER} ${SYSTEM_SERVICES} \
-                       ${SYSTEM_SERVICES_CONFIG} /opt /opt/venv"
+                       ${SYSTEM_SERVICES_CONFIG}"
 ENV READ_WRITE_FOLDERS="${NETALERTX_CONFIG} ${NETALERTX_DB} ${NETALERTX_API} ${NETALERTX_LOG} \
                        ${NETALERTX_PLUGINS_LOG} ${SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN} ${SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN_TMP} \
                        ${SYSTEM_SERVICES_RUN_LOG}"
@@ -112,7 +132,10 @@ RUN install -d -o ${NETALERTX_USER} -g ${NETALERTX_GROUP} -m 755 ${NETALERTX_API
 COPY --from=builder --chown=20212:20212 ${VIRTUAL_ENV} ${VIRTUAL_ENV}
 
 
-#initialize each service with the dockerfiles/init-*.sh scripts, once.
+# Initialize each service with the dockerfiles/init-*.sh scripts, once.
+# This is done after the copy of the venv to ensure the venv is in place
+# although it may be quicker to do it before the copy, it keeps the image
+# layers smaller to do it after.
 RUN apk add libcap && \
     setcap cap_net_raw,cap_net_admin+eip /usr/bin/nmap && \
     setcap cap_net_raw,cap_net_admin+eip /usr/bin/arp-scan && \
@@ -154,13 +177,9 @@ RUN chown -R ${READ_ONLY_USER}:${READ_ONLY_GROUP} ${READ_ONLY_FOLDERS} && \
     chown -R ${NETALERTX_USER}:${NETALERTX_GROUP} ${READ_WRITE_FOLDERS} && \
     chmod -R 600 ${READ_WRITE_FOLDERS} && \
     find ${READ_WRITE_FOLDERS} -type d -exec chmod 700 {} + && \
-    chown ${READ_ONLY_USER}:${READ_ONLY_GROUP} /entrypoint.sh && \
-    chmod 005 /entrypoint.sh ${SYSTEM_SERVICES}/*.sh /app
-    
-
-# remove sudoers,  alpine installers pacakges, and all users and groups except
-# readonly and netalertx
-RUN apk del apk-tools && \
+    chown ${READ_ONLY_USER}:${READ_ONLY_GROUP} /entrypoint.sh /opt && \
+    chmod 005 /entrypoint.sh ${SYSTEM_SERVICES}/*.sh /app && \
+    apk del apk-tools && \
     rm -Rf /var /etc/sudoers.d/* /etc/shadow /etc/gshadow /etc/sudoers \
     /lib/apk /lib/firmware /lib/modules-load.d /lib/sysctl.d /mnt /home/ /root \
     /srv /media && \
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 569b48e8f..4d7a577a9 100755
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -15,11 +15,20 @@ services:
     security_opt:                               # Security options for the container
       - no-new-privileges:true                  # Prevent privilege escalation
     volumes:
-      - netalertx_config:/app/config:rw         # Store your NetAlertX config
-      - netalertx_db:/app/db:rw                 # Store your NetAlertX devices and settings
-      - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro        # Use your system clock inside the container (read-only)
+      - type: volume
+        source: netalertx_config
+        target: /app/config
+        read_only: false
 
-      # Additional Volume Examples below
+      - type: volume
+        source: netalertx_db
+        target: /app/db
+        read_only: false
+
+      - type: bind
+        source: /etc/localtime
+        target: /etc/localtime
+        read_only: true
 
       # Use a custom Enterprise-configured nginx config for ldap or other settings
       # - /custom-enterprise.conf:/services/config/nginx/conf.active/netalertx.conf:ro
@@ -30,16 +39,18 @@ services:
       # Retain logs - comment out tmpfs /app/log if you want to retain logs between container restarts
       # - /path/on/host/log:/app/log
 
-      
-
     # Tempfs mounts for writable directories in a read-only container and improve system performance
-    # by providing a clean R/W filesystem each container start and reducing disk I/O.
-    # Temp mounts are noexec, nosuid, and nodev for security.
     tmpfs:
-      - "/app/api:uid=20211,gid=20211,mode=700,noexec,nosuid,nodev"
-      - "/app/log:uid=20211,gid=20211,mode=700,noexec,nosuid,nodev"
-      - "/services/config/nginx/conf.active:uid=20211,gid=20211,mode=700,noexec,nosuid,nodev"
-      - "/services/run:uid=20211,gid=20211,mode=700,noexec,nosuid,nodev"
+      # Speed up logging. This can be commented out to retain logs between container restarts
+      - "/app/log:uid=20211,gid=20211,mode=1700,rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,async,noatime,nodiratime"
+      # Speed up API access as frontend/backend API is very chatty
+      - "/app/api:uid=20211,gid=20211,mode=1700,rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,sync,noatime,nodiratime"  
+      # Required for customization of the nginx listen addr/port without rebuilding the container
+      - "/services/config/nginx/conf.active:uid=20211,gid=20211,mode=1700,rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,async,noatime,nodiratime"
+      # /services/config/nginx/conf.d is required for nginx and php to start
+      - "/services/run:uid=20211,gid=20211,mode=1700,rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,async,noatime,nodiratime"
+      # /tmp is required by php for session save this should be reworked to /services/run/tmp
+      - "/tmp:uid=20211,gid=20211,mode=1700,rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,async,noatime,nodiratime"
     environment:
       LISTEN_ADDR: 0.0.0.0                      # Listen for connections on all interfaces
       PORT: 20211                               # Application port