As the inclusion of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) in most organizations to enable automation and normalization of infrastructure continuously increases, securing IaC becomes a must. IaC makes it possible to ensure consistent, automated management of infrastructure in different environments of development, testing, and production. However, if not properly configured for security, it is prone to create vulnerabilities across the entire infrastructure. Here are 5 steps toward securing IaC and upholding compliance.
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1. Adopt Secure IaC Templates
Starting from secure templates is a fundamental step toward IaC security. A predefined template from a known source, such as CIS Benchmarks or Cloud Provider SDKs, minimizes the risk of misconfiguration. Since most of these templates have been tested for compliance to industry standards, incorporating desired security configurations into your template makes it more secure.
2. Use Version Control and Change Management
Version control is the most significant concept of controlling and managing IaC changes. With the aid of VCS like Git, you will be able to trace every single change applied to your IaC code. Role-based access control with a peer review before accepting the merge ensures you only approved configurations are released, minimizing your chances of security loopholes in the infrastructure.
3. Use Security Scans in CI/CD Pipeline
With the ability to integrate security scanning tools directly into the CI/CD pipeline, most vulnerabilities can be caught before production. Tools such as Checkov, TFLint, and CloudFormation Guard have been showcased to analyze IaC files for potential security risks and misconfigurations. Automating the security checks within the CI/CD process eliminates most human error and ensures that only secure code reaches production.
4. Secrets Management
Sensitive data such as API keys, passwords, and tokens should never be hardcoded into IaC files. Instead, use secrets management tools like HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, or Azure Key Vault. These tools allow for secure storage and management of secrets, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected and access is limited.
5. Implement Auditing and Monitoring of the IaC Configurations
Proper auditing as well as real-time monitoring help ensure security over a given infrastructure. The tools used in auditing can flag outdated and non-compliant configurations, and continuous monitoring can identify unauthorized changes. Periodic audits not only point to potential vulnerabilities but also guarantee your infrastructure complies with established security standards.
Final Words
Securing Infrastructure as Code is critical to ensuring that your infrastructure is both safe and compliant in these fast-paced DevOps environments. With IaC, security and compliance don’t have to be afterthoughts—they can be seamlessly woven into the development pipeline, protecting both your infrastructure and your data.
