As a software engineer or system administrator, you are probably familiar with the concept of Infrastructure as Code (IaC). This approach to managing infrastructure involves treating infrastructure resources, such as servers and networking configurations, as if they were code. This means that infrastructure can be managed using version control systems, reviewed by team members, and deployed using automated processes.
However, managing infrastructure using IaC can be challenging, as even small errors in the code can have significant consequences. That’s where static code analysis tools, such as tfsec, come in. These tools can help identify potential issues in your IaC code before it is deployed, reducing the risk of errors and downtime.
What is Static Code Analysis?
Static code analysis is the process of analyzing code without executing it. This allows developers to identify potential issues, such as syntax errors and security vulnerabilities, before the code is deployed. Static code analysis tools can scan your code for a variety of issues, such as syntax errors, security vulnerabilities, and code quality issues.
Static Code Analysis Tools for Terraform
tfsec
tfsec is a popular open-source static code analysis tool specifically designed for Infrastructure as Code. It is written in Go and works with a variety of IaC tools, including Terraform, CloudFormation, and ARM templates. tfsec scans your IaC code for security vulnerabilities and best practices, and then generates a report highlighting any issues it finds.
One of the benefits of tfsec is that it is easy to integrate into your existing workflow. It can be run as a command-line tool, or it can be integrated into your CI/CD pipeline using tools such as Jenkins or CircleCI. This allows you to automatically scan your IaC code for issues as part of your development process, ensuring that your infrastructure is deployed safely and securely.
Terraform validate
One popular static code analysis tool for Terraform is the terraform validate command. This command checks the syntax of your Terraform code and ensures that all required variables are defined. It does not check for security vulnerabilities or best practices, but it is a quick and easy way to ensure that your code is syntactically correct.
Terrascan
Terrascan is an open-source static code analysis tool specifically designed for Terraform. It scans your Terraform code for security vulnerabilities and best practices, and then generates a report highlighting any issues it finds. Terrascan can be run as a command-line tool or integrated into your CI/CD pipeline using tools such as Jenkins or CircleCI.
Terraform-scanner
Terraform-scanner is another open-source static code analysis tool for Terraform. It scans your Terraform code for security vulnerabilities and code quality issues, and then generates a report highlighting any issues it finds. Terraform-scanner can be run as a command-line tool or integrated into your CI/CD pipeline using tools such as Jenkins or CircleCI.
Terraform Detective
Terraform Detective is a static code analysis tool that analyzes your Terraform code and generates a dependency graph showing the relationships between your resources. This can be useful for understanding the impact of changes to your infrastructure and identifying potential issues. Terraform Detective can be run as a command-line tool or integrated into your CI/CD pipeline using tools such as Jenkins or CircleCI.
The Benefits of Using Static Code Analysis in a CI/CD Pipeline
Static code analysis tools, such as tfsec, can be a valuable addition to your CI/CD pipeline. By integrating these tools into your pipeline, you can automatically scan your IaC code for issues as part of your development process. This can help you catch and fix issues early in the development process, rather than waiting until the code is deployed to production.
Using static code analysis tools in your CI/CD pipeline can also help improve collaboration among team members. By automatically scanning your code for issues, these tools can help ensure that changes are consistent with company policies and standards, and they can help reduce the risk of errors and downtime.
Conclusion
Static code analysis tools, such as tfsec, can be a valuable tool for managing Infrastructure as Code. By identifying potential issues in your IaC code before it is deployed, these tools can help reduce the risk of errors and downtime. By integrating these tools into your CI/CD pipeline, you can automate the process of scanning your IaC code for issues, improving collaboration among team members and ensuring that your infrastructure is deployed safely and securely.
The author generated this text in part with GPT-3, OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model. Upon generating draft language, the author reviewed, edited, and revised the language to their own liking and takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this publication.