Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) Scanning
Also known as:
What problem does it target?
Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) enables teams to define and provision infrastructure using code (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation, ARM, Kubernetes manifests). While this accelerates deployment and consistency, it introduces new security challenges:
- Misconfigurations in code – insecure defaults, open security groups, and excessive permissions can be codified and deployed at scale
- Lack of visibility – security teams may not review IaC before deployment
- Drift from best practices – code may not align with compliance or security standards
- Rapid, automated changes – vulnerabilities can be introduced and propagated quickly
- Supply chain risks – use of insecure modules, templates, or dependencies
IaC scanning solutions address these challenges by providing automated, policy-driven analysis of infrastructure code before it is deployed.
What does this solution do?
IaC scanning solutions provide:
- Static analysis of IaC files – detect misconfigurations, insecure settings, and policy violations in code
- Policy enforcement – ensure code adheres to security and compliance standards (CIS, NIST, PCI DSS, etc.)
- Integration with CI/CD pipelines – automate scanning as part of the development workflow
- Remediation guidance – provide actionable recommendations to fix issues
- Drift detection – identify when deployed infrastructure deviates from code or policy
- Support for multiple IaC formats – scan Terraform, CloudFormation, ARM, Kubernetes YAML, and more
Advanced features may include:
- Custom policy creation – define organization-specific rules and controls
- Secrets detection – identify hardcoded secrets or sensitive data in code
- Dependency scanning – analyze third-party modules and templates for vulnerabilities
- Automated pull request comments – provide feedback directly in code review workflows
Who is this for?
- DevOps and platform teams managing infrastructure as code
- Security teams seeking to shift security left and catch issues early
- Organizations with compliance requirements for cloud infrastructure
- Companies adopting rapid, automated infrastructure deployment
- Enterprises using multi-cloud or hybrid environments
Who might not benefit from this?
- Organizations not using IaC or automated infrastructure provisioning
- Small teams with simple, static environments
- Companies relying solely on manual security reviews
- Environments with no regulatory or compliance obligations
Pitfalls and remedies
| Pitfall | Remedy |
|---|---|
| False positives or noisy results | Tune policies and rules; prioritize critical issues |
| Lack of developer adoption | Integrate scanning into existing workflows; provide clear, actionable feedback |
| Missed coverage for custom resources | Extend scanning with custom policies and plugins |
| Secrets exposure in code | Enable secrets detection and enforce secure coding practices |
| Tool sprawl | Consolidate scanning tools and standardize on organization-wide solutions |
| Lagging behind IaC updates | Keep scanning tools and policies up to date with new IaC features and resources |
Sample products
- Checkov – open-source IaC scanning for Terraform, CloudFormation, Kubernetes, and more
- Bridgecrew – commercial IaC security platform with policy-as-code and automation
- Terraform Cloud/Enterprise Sentinel – policy enforcement for Terraform
- Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud – integrated IaC scanning and policy management
- Snyk IaC – developer-focused IaC security with CI/CD integration
- AWS CloudFormation Guard – policy-as-code for AWS CloudFormation
- Kics (Keep Infrastructure as Code Secure) – open-source, multi-IaC scanning tool