Main takeaways from this article
IaC tools automate setting up, changing, and versioning infrastructure.
Different IaC tools that may help your organization include CSP-neutral IaC tools like Chef and CSP-specific tools like AWS.
Choosing the right IaC tool is a critical decision that can significantly impact your organization’s efficiency and effectiveness. Learn what factors make a difference.
If you want to mitigate IaC misconfigurations, you need a proactive approach that gets ahead of future problems, like strong IAM policies and routine audit checks and processes.
A platform with IaC scanning and all your cloud security needs can create a more secure, accessible, and efficient cloud environment.
What are IaC tools?
Infrastructure as code (IaC) tools automate setting up, changing, and versioning infrastructure.
When teams use IaC tools for automation, they increase their efficiency and reduce errors compared to traditional manual processes. Automation removes developers’ need to manually configure an environment, which reduces the risk of human error and establishes a consistent and repeatable process.
The fundamental role of IaC tools
IaC tools shift the paradigm from physical hardware setups and manual configurations to machine-readable definition files.
The approach when using IaC involves treating infrastructure in the same way as any other software system. Your developers define the infrastructure setup in source code files, including servers, databases, and networks, which they then version control and audit like application code.
These tools, which can be either Content Security Policy (CSP)-neutral or -specific, can make up your IaC and cloud security stack.
The benefits of choosing IaC tools
There are multiple reasons to adopt IaC solutions:
They centralize infrastructure definitions to ensure that all environments come from the same codebase. This consistency minimizes configuration drift, making it easier to recreate environments reliably for disaster recovery or scaling.
IaC tools save time by automating repetitive tasks. This automation lets developers and operations teams focus on more strategic tasks, such as improving the application’s functionality or optimizing its performance.
They also promote the principles of DevOps culture and facilitate collaboration between development and operations teams, which allows both teams to understand and modify the infrastructure setup. This shared understanding and responsibility fosters a more efficient and harmonious working environment.
IaC tools provide a reliable, efficient, and collaborative way to manage and provision technology stacks, which makes them indispensable in any DevOps toolkit.
Top CSP-neutral IaC tools for your cloud security
Tools that are neutral to your CSP are perfect for IaC due to their versatility and broad compatibility. Below are some of the leading options in this category, according to their primary capability:
| Tool | Type | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Chef | Configuration management tool | Flexibility |
| Puppet | Configuration management tool | Large-scale deployments |
| Ansible | Configuration management tool | An agentless solution |
| Salt | Configuration management tool | An alternative solution |
| Vagrant | Server templating tool | Open source |
| Docker | Server templating tool | Container building |
| Packer | Server templating tool | Identical machine images |
| Terraform | Provisioning tool | Multi-cloud environments |
| Pulumi | Provisioning tool | General purpose programming |
| Gyro | Provisioning tool | Self-service |
Configuration management tools
Configuration management tools focus on automation and maintenance for software configurations and system states.
1. Best for flexibility: Chef
Chef is a robust IaC tool that describes system configuration using a pure Ruby domain-specific language (DSL). It comes with an extensive library of modules, known as cookbooks, that can automate system configuration.
This tool supports multiple platforms, which makes it versatile for diverse environments. It also encourages a test-driven development approach, which can help you create a reliable and stable infrastructure. Chef is well-suited to organizations with complex systems and diverse configurations, especially if the team has a strong Ruby skillset.
Pros:
Automations: DevOps teams can automate and test code instead of manually writing it.
Integrations with other tools: Chef can integrate with cloud platforms like AWS, VMware, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
Cons:
Steep learning curve: Some users stress frustration with the tool’s complexity.
Poor documentation: Users are upset that the tool lacks supporting materials.
2. Best for large-scale deployments: Puppet
Puppet uses declarative language to describe system configuration. The tool also offers robust reporting and auditing tools, which allow you to track changes and maintain compliance for large-scale deployments.
This tool is an excellent choice for large enterprises with multiple administrators and teams since it can help them mandate strict control over configurations.
Pros:
Extensive support: Puppet is a mature tool with ample community support for advice and troubleshooting.
Effective dashboard: Users say that the configurable dashboard makes it easy to organize priorities and views and fully understand their infrastructure.
Cons:
Difficulty scaling: Some users report that scaling operations is difficult without well-versed engineers.
Poor interface design: While the dashboard is effective, some users think it’s difficult to understand or manage.
3. Best for an agentless solution: Ansible
Ansible is a simple yet powerful tool for configuration management and application deployment. It's agentless, meaning it uses Secure Shell instead of requiring a special agent on the target nodes, which can simplify setup and management.
Pros:
Straightforward use: Ansible uses a simple YAML syntax, which makes it easy to read and write, even for those who are new to IaC. It also offers many modules and is ideal for orchestrating complex tasks.
Best for medium teams: Ansible is a great fit for small to medium businesses that need a lightweight but powerful tool. It’s also good for DevOps teams that handle application deployment alongside configuration management.
Cons:
Overall poor UI: Users express frustration that the user interface is complicated.
Difficult to understand: The playbook execution output can be challenging to navigate and comprehend.
4. Best for an alternative solution: Salt
Salt, also known as SaltStack or Salt Project, is a Python-based open-source configuration management software and remote execution engine. It supports the IaC approach to deployment and cloud management and competes primarily with Puppet, Chef, and Ansible.
Pros:
Centralized, scalable control: Salt uses a master-minion model. A central master issues commands to the minions, who then execute them.
Customer support: Users report helpful support from the tool when they have questions or troubleshooting needs.
Cons:
Delays: Some users don’t like how the tool slows down deployment—“Execution time is sometime[s] longer compared to alternatives,” according to one user.
Outdated community code: Users comment that more frequently updated community code would make the tool more resourceful.
Server templating tools
Server templating tools help you create and manage reusable templates to establish and define server configurations.
5. Best for open source: Vagrant
Vagrant is an open source software product for building and maintaining portable virtual software development environments. It's not traditionally an IaC tool, but it allows you to script a development environment’s setup. This can be useful for maintaining consistency between development environments or between development and production.
Pros:
Multiple options: Vagrant offers community boxes and plug-ins. Since the tool is decentralized, you can adapt it to any system.
Helpful resources: The tool provides a considerable catalog of documentation to support your team.
Cons:
Complex setup: Some users report difficulties with onboarding and an overall steep learning curve.
Lacking beyond foundations: Users report that Vagrant misses features as the dev environment grows. One user claims that “when things get more advanced, it sometimes falls short,” and another says that “it does the job but is lacking quite a few features.”
6. Best for building containers: Docker
Docker is a platform that uses OS-level virtualization to deliver software in packages called containers. Containers operate in isolation by separately bundling software, libraries, and configuration files while communicating only through well-defined channels.
While Docker is not an IaC tool, developers often include it in their security stack to manage container deployment and operation.
Pros:
Easy management: Since you’re working with software within containers, managing applications with defined processes and oversight becomes easier. Because of this, users can more easily scale with Docker.
Effective for microservices: Users report that Docker is great for microservice solutions and deployments. Additionally, CI/CD platforms can support it.
Cons:
Clunky UX: Some users report that the user experience makes commands confusing, particularly the names and microcopy for parts of the interface and poorly named command lines.
Lacking built-in support: Some users ask for better built-in support for monitoring—and one says that “some simple things, such as [being on the] tail of current logs, are hard to replicate.”
7. Best for identical machine images: Packer
Packer is an open source tool for creating identical machine images for multiple platforms from a single source configuration. Like Vagrant, it doesn’t function as a traditional IaC tool but often integrates with IaC tools as part of a CI/CD pipeline.
Pros:
Flexibility: Packer is open source, so your team can adapt and customize the tool to their specific needs.
Multi-cloud portability: Teams can easily create images for top cloud providers like AWS and Azure with a configuration file. Because of this and similar features, users report that infrastructure deployment tends to be faster with Packer than with other tools.
Cons:
Difficult to manage: Some users report issues with manageability.
Slower documentation: Packer can be difficult to get used to due to outdated documentation when there are updates. One user, for instance, received a support response about new commands, but the provided documentation didn’t reflect those updates.
Provisioning tools
Provisioning tools automate solutions to enable setup, management, and configurations for cloud infrastructure.
8. Best for multi-cloud environments: Terraform
Terraform by HashiCorp is a widely used IaC tool for implementing best practices concerning building, changing, and re-visioning infrastructure. It supports multiple cloud providers, making it a versatile choice for businesses that operate in multi-cloud environments.
This solution helps companies that are seeking to manage multi-cloud deployments and complex dependencies or those that wish to adopt a “single pane of glass” for all infrastructure.
Pros:
Simplified approach: Terraform uses declarative language, which means you can describe your desired state and Terraform will figure out how to achieve it. This approach simplifies the process of managing complex or large-scale infrastructure.
Efficiency and ease of use: This tool also offers state management capabilities and modules for code reuse.
Cons:
Difficult management: Some users report that managing the tool can be “annoying” and a “huge pain.”
No rollback features: If something goes wrong, your history right before the mistake would still apply, which makes it harder to fix the problem.
9. Best for general-purpose programming: Pulumi
Pulumi is a modern IaC tool that lets you use general-purpose programming languages like Python, Go, TypeScript, and C# to define and manage your infrastructure. This can make the tool more accessible to developers and allow for more complex logic within your infrastructure code.
Pulumi supports multiple cloud providers and even allows you to mix resources from different providers in the same program. This makes it a good choice for multi-cloud deployments or for deploying resources that interact with each other across cloud boundaries.
10. Best for self-service: Gyro
Gyro is a multi-cloud IaC tool for creating, updating, and maintaining infrastructure. It defines resources using a DSL and supports several cloud platforms, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
Pros:
Extensibility: Gyro allows you to write your resource definitions and manage nearly any cloud resource.
Simplified language: You can use the Gyro’s language for easy commands and definitions.
Cons:
Complex onboarding: Gyro can be challenging to set up, especially for users who are new to its language.
Lack of support: Gyro is a niche tool within DevOps, so getting help and community input may be more difficult.
Top CSP-specific IaC tools for your cloud security
While CSP-neutral tools offer broad compatibility, CSP-specific IaC tools offer deep integration with their respective platforms. This provides a seamless and efficient way to manage infrastructure.
CSP-specific IaC tools
| Tool | Best for |
|---|---|
| Amazon Web Services (AWS) CloudFormation | AWS users |
| Azure Resource Manager | Microsoft Azure users |
| Google Cloud Deployment Manager | Google Cloud users |
Below are the leading CSP-specific IaC tools:
1. Best for AWS users: AWS CloudFormation
AWS CloudFormation is Amazon’s IaC service that manages and provisions AWS resources. It offers deep integration with AWS services, allowing you to automate your AWS infrastructure setup and any updates.
CloudFormation uses JSON or YAML templates to describe the desired state of AWS resources, which makes defining and managing complex environments easier.
Pros:
Manage and update more easily: CloudFormation employs a stack-based management approach, which groups related resources together. This allows teams to more easily manage and update resources as a unit.
Take advantage of the native experience: CloudFormation is a reasonable solution if you already use the AWS stack.
Cons:
Lengthy creation: Some users report that some services can take a long time to build.
Spotty documentation: Users want AWS to improve documentation for more support.
2. Best for Microsoft Azure users: Azure Resource Manager
Azure Resource Manager (ARM) is Microsoft Azure’s IaC tool. Like CloudFormation, it offers deep integration with Azure services so you can manage your Azure resources efficiently.
ARM uses JSON templates to define the desired state of Azure resources.
Pros:
Clear responsibilities: ARM supports role-based access controls, which provide precise control over who can do what with which resources. This enhances security and governance.
Native experience: Organizations that have already invested in Microsoft and Azure can quickly adopt this solution.
Cons:
Lack of flexibility: Some users want templates to have more flexible permissions.
Heavy syntax: ARM can be challenging for new users since the tool primarily uses JSON. This is especially true when templates may need hundreds or thousands of lines of code, making them harder to read and manage.
3. Best for Google Cloud users: Google Cloud Deployment Manager
Google Cloud Deployment Manager is Google’s IaC for automating infrastructure on the GCP. It offers deep integration and allows you to manage your GCP resources declaratively.
Pros:
Flexibility: The Deployment Manager uses YAML or Python/Jinja2 templates to define GCP resources’ desired state. This flexibility lets you choose the language that best suits your team’s skills and preferences.
Native experience: Google Cloud Deployment Manager is an excellent choice for businesses that primarily use Google Cloud and require declarative management of GCP resources.
Cons:
Difficult templates: YAML templates can be very challenging to manage as your infrastructure scales.
Manual dependencies: Google Cloud Deployment Manager lacks automation for dependencies between resources, so you would have to spend more time getting applications to deployment.
By evaluating the factors in these lists, you can select a tool that streamlines your operations, enhances productivity, and ensures your infrastructure’s reliability and security.
Discovering the ideal IaC tool: Key considerations
Choosing the right IaC tool is a critical decision that can significantly impact your operations’ efficiency and effectiveness. Below are some key considerations to guide your selection process:
| Consideration | Description |
|---|---|
| Automation | IaC tools’ primary value hinges on their ability to automate infrastructure management tasks. Look for tools that automate multiple tasks and integrate seamlessly with your CI/CD pipelines. Also, consider whether the tool automates documentation and reporting, which can save time and ensure operational accuracy. |
| Cost-effectiveness | When evaluating costs, consider the upfront pricing and assess how the tool can reduce operational expenses by increasing efficiency and lowering error rates. The most expensive tool isn’t always the best fit—a more affordable option may still provide all the features you need. |
| Scalability | Choose an IaC tool that manages infrastructure of varying sizes, from small setups to large-scale deployments. This will enable you to accommodate growth over time. Additionally, evaluate how easily you can add or remove resources and whether the tool handles your evolving infrastructure’s complexity. |
| Ecosystem compatibility | Select an IaC tool that is compatible with your existing technology stack, including operating systems, cloud providers, and other technologies you use. |
| Security | Managing infrastructure involves handling sensitive data, so prioritize IaC tools with robust security features and best practices for managing secrets, detecting configuration drift, and ensuring compliance. These features will help you maintain infrastructure integrity and protect your data. |
The security implications of IaC misconfigurations
As businesses increasingly adopt IaC tools to manage their infrastructure, they need to confirm that these tools can strengthen their security and allow for error-free configurations. Misconfigurations and exposed secrets in IaC templates can create serious security vulnerabilities and unauthorized access, which can pose risks to your business.
These risks include:
Network vulnerabilities: Misconfigurations in IaC templates can inadvertently expose your infrastructure to potential attacks. For instance, a misconfigured firewall could allow unauthorized access to your network. Similarly, assigning incorrect permissions could grant users more access than they need. Malicious actors can exploit these vulnerabilities to access sensitive data or disrupt your services.
Exposed secrets: Secrets like API keys, passwords, and tokens require careful management to avoid exposure in IaC templates. If your organization fails to protect these secrets, malicious actors can use them to gain unauthorized access to your systems and data.
Non-compliance: If your IaC templates don’t follow regulatory standards like GDPR, HIPAA, or other relevant requirements, you may risk audits, fines, and damage to your reputation.
Privilege escalation: If Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies have overly permissive roles and errors in IaC, you risk allowing attackers to escalate privileges across environments and possibly gain access to critical infrastructure.
Lack of version control: If your IaC scripts lack strong version control, finding and rolling back changes that introduce vulnerabilities could be difficult. This puts systems at risk for exposure, sometimes for extended periods.
When your DevSecOps team adopts best practices and strong IaC protocols, like automated scans and integrated security reviews in the CI/CD pipeline, you can prevent many misconfigurations from happening—or, at the very least, from growing into something much bigger.
Below, you’ll learn more about how to prevent misconfigurations.
Strategies to mitigate IaC misconfigurations
If you want to minimize IaC misconfigurations, you need a proactive approach that gets you ahead of future problems. Below are some recommendations and best practices to improve your IaC security posture:
Practice strong IAM policies: Consider applying IAM policies like multi-factor authentication and the principle of least privilege. These measures restrict access to those who need it so you can reduce the risk of unauthorized access and changes.
Conduct routine security audits and testing: Perform regular audits and penetration testing to discover vulnerabilities and simulate realistic attack scenarios.
Leverage automated tools: Use automated features to enforce security best practices with IaC templates. These automated checks can lower human error rates and inject consistent security enforcement throughout your environment.
Adopt a holistic cloud security management tool: Stop juggling multiple tools for cloud security. By unifying your tools, you can gain improved visibility into your cloud infrastructure and identify risks across configurations, access control, and workloads.
The above strategies and considerations all point to shifting left with security. Your team can address potential issues before deployment by creating dedicated policies for each team that prioritize security in every decision.
When you consider a cloud security platform, find one that can offer the wide range of cloud security your organization needs—not just one tool like an IaC. For example, DevOps teams can use Wiz’s IaC scanning to integrate developmental workflows and securely manage infrastructure as code.
During the Wiz Tech Talks, front-end developer Itai Yosephi said, “[Wiz] can define policies to scan [...] [and] detect [vulnerabilities]. It can scan for secrets [and] define remediation in order to prevent misconfiguration. [...] When you detect an issue in Wiz, it can decide how it wants to collaborate.”
Not only can you detect secrets and misconfigurations in your IaC tool, but you can also tap into Wiz’s cloud-native application protection platform to build, protect, manage, and speed up your cloud development.
With everything you need in one platform, you can build applications and manage data much more efficiently and safely—all with a DevSecOps approach that prioritizes security.
Reduce and eliminate risks with Wiz’s IaC scanning
Wiz helps businesses mitigate risks by automating misconfiguration detection and correction with IaC scanning. This secures the cloud from source to production.
Wiz’s IaC scanning solution delivers a holistic view of your cloud configuration lifecycle. It also ensures proper infrastructure configuration from the start and maintains your containerized applications’ security throughout their lifecycle. Plus, it’s easy to use and provides an intuitive experience.
For businesses that use virtual machines (VMs), Wiz ensures that your VM images are secure and compliant before deployment with its Golden VM Image Pipeline feature. This proactive approach prevents security issues from entering your environment.
You can leverage Wiz’s capabilities today for a safer, more efficient cloud environment. Sign up for a free trial to take Wiz’s IaC scanning solution for a spin.
One policy, one tool, no silos.
See how Wiz simplifies security with a single policy for both developers and security teams, spanning from source code to running environments.
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