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What is infrastructure-as-code (IaC) security?

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Overview

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Infrastructure-as-code (IaC) security is the practice of protecting cloud infrastructure configurations defined and deployed through code. IaC frameworks such as Terraform, Kubernetes, Ansible, and Docker allow organizations to automate and scale their environments, but they also introduce the risk of misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and compliance gaps if not secured properly.

Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) Security

Why is IaC security important?

IaC has become a cornerstone of cloud‑native development, enabling faster deployments, consistency, and scalability. However, insecure templates or misconfigured code can expose entire environments in seconds.

Common risks include:

  • Misconfigurations such as open storage buckets or overly permissive network access.
  • Hardcoded secrets like passwords or API keys committed to templates.
  • Noncompliance with industry or organizational standards.
  • Rapid propagation of errors across multiple environments.

Attackers actively exploit these weaknesses, making infrastructure‑as‑code security a critical layer in modern application and cloud security strategies.

How does infrastructure-as-code security work?

IaC security integrates automated checks and policies into the development pipeline, scanning infrastructure templates before deployment.

Key practices include:

  • Static scanning of IaC templates: Detect misconfigurations in Terraform, Kubernetes, and Docker files.
  • Secrets detection: Identify and prevent exposure of credentials and keys.
  • Policy enforcement: Apply guardrails aligned to compliance frameworks (e.g., CIS Benchmarks, NIST, GDPR).
  • Pipeline integration: Embed security directly into CI/CD workflows.
  • Continuous monitoring: Track changes and detect drift across environments.

Benefits of IaC security

  • Prevention at scale: Catch issues before infrastructure is deployed.
  • Reduced attack surface: Eliminate misconfigurations that attackers commonly exploit.
  • Compliance readiness: Automate checks against industry and regulatory standards.
  • Developer enablement: Provide actionable feedback early in the workflow.
  • Operational efficiency: Maintain consistent security across multiple environments.

Infrastructure-as-code security with OpenText Application Security

OpenText integrates IaC security, such as Terraform security, into its Application Security Testing platform to help enterprises secure cloud‑native environments from the start:

  • SAST with IaC rules: Identify misconfigurations and hardcoded secrets in templates.
  • Workflow orchestration: Enforce policy across CI/CD pipelines and developer IDEs.
  • Comprehensive coverage: Support for containers, Kubernetes, APIs, and multi‑cloud deployments.
  • AI‑powered analysis: Reduce false positives and accelerate remediation with OpenText™ Application Security Aviator™ (Fortify).
  • Risk visibility: Consolidate IaC findings into application security posture management (ASPM).

Key takeaway

Infrastructure-as-code security prevents misconfigurations and compliance risks in cloud-native environments by embedding automated checks directly into the development pipeline—ensuring secure, consistent infrastructure at scale.

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