Top 10 Infrastructure as Code Security Tools for 2024

Infrastructure as Code is the Usain Bolt of software development. By treating infrastructure provisioning and management as code, teams can deploy entire infrastructures with the click of a button and easily modify or extend their IaC to meet business and user needs. This speed, agility, and scalability are unprecedented. 

But there’s more to this button click than meets the eye. The more you automate, the more likely you will leave behind security gaps like misplaced lines of code or misconfigured settings. There were 10 million hard-coded secrets detected in public GitHub commits in 2022, a staggering 67% rise from 2021. While not exclusive to IaC, hard-coded secrets can risk exposing sensitive data and opening secure systems to unauthorized access. 

Securing IaC to preempt such common vulnerabilities starts with embedding security earlier in the development pipeline. Luckily, you don’t need to do this alone - and certainly not manually. There are a myriad of powerful IaC security tools that can help you reap the ground-breaking benefits of IaC safely. 

What is Infrastructure as Code Security?

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) security analyzes the scripts and code that automate your cloud infrastructure setup to find vulnerabilities. It's a technical discipline crucial in a DevOps environment that aims to confirm that your deployments are not only operational but also fortified against threats.

In the current landscape, where cloud-native technologies and dynamic provisioning are the norms, IaC security has become critical for operational integrity. Minor misconfigurations in IaC – such as incorrect access permissions or exposed sensitive data – can leave the door wide open for an attack. IaC security tools are the watchful eyes that catch these mistakes, often before they turn into more significant problems.



The Benefits of IaC Security Tools

IaC security tools bring uniformity to your deployments and automate security protocols, making infrastructure scalable and manageable. These tools can be tightly integrated with version control systems, providing a clear history of changes and an easy rollback path if something goes wrong. Vigilant in monitoring configuration drifts and discrepancies, they swiftly flag issues, preempt problems, cut down on remediation costs, and manage data security. But the benefits aren't just about preventing disasters. These tools also make it easier to report on your security posture and audit your systems, which is a boon for both internal governance and external regulatory compliance. Essential security standards and frameworks such as PCI, SOC2, and HIPAA require you to demonstrate the security of your systems and data. 

Key Features to Look for in IaC Security Tools

1. Integration with IaC Frameworks

Your IaC tools should integrate natively with existing frameworks to create a cohesive ecosystem that enhances security protocols without hindering development speed.

2. Custom Security Rule Creation

Custom rule creation is essential for addressing the unique security demands of your infrastructure. By defining rules specific to your setup, you can protect against specialized threats that out-of-the-box solutions may overlook, ensuring a defense that's as unique as your system.

3. (PaC) Support

Deploy Policy as Code to hardwire compliance into your infrastructure code. This strategic move converts security policies into a code format that is automatically enforced, helping your deployments be secure by design. By automatically applying policies to every deployment, you can cut down on manual oversight.



4. Static and Dynamic Analysis

A robust IaC security strategy demands both SAST to analyze code before deployment and DAST to assess the running environment after deployment. Jit integrates both SAST and DAST tools, providing comprehensive coverage that scrutinizes your infrastructure for vulnerabilities at every SSDLC stage.

5. Auto-Remediation

The power of auto-remediation lies in its ability not just to uncover vulnerabilities but also to offer immediate fixes. This proactive feature slashes the time from problem identification to problem resolution, dramatically shrinking the window for potential exploits. Jit offers this functionality, providing enriched findings from various tools and direct, actionable fixes in a single platform. 

Top 10 Infrastructure as Code Security Tools for 2024

1. KICS 



KICS offers extensive support for many platforms, including Terraform and Kubernetes, and over 2400 queries for detecting vulnerabilities and misconfigurations. It's designed for easy installation, clear results interpretation, and straightforward CI integration. Jit can seamlessly integrate with KICS so you can automate SAST checks for IaC - ensuring ongoing security with each commit. 

Best For

DevOps teams prioritizing automated and continuous security testing within their CI pipelines.

2. Jit 



Jit’s DevSecOps platform streamlines the implementation of security measures in infrastructure coding by providing easy orchestration with security scanning tools like KICS, as well as code-level remediation for over 200 potential IaC misconfigurations. It works with popular development environments like GitHub or AWS and allows the management of security tools across the entire CI/CD pipeline. The tool also offers clear, actionable guidelines, empowering developers to adopt a foundational security framework that can be customized and scaled according to organizational demands.

Best For

Organizations seeking an all-in-one platform for IaC security and remediation.

Customer Review: 

“Very easy to onboard with this tool; you get a lot of points for the user experience. I like that the plan configuration corresponds to the code representation - very transparent.”

3. TFLint 



TFLint scrutinizes your Terraform configurations with a fine-tooth comb, flagging potential errors, enforcing best practices, and warning against deprecated syntax to keep your IaC deployments on point.

Best For

Teams using Terraform.

4. Prowler



Prowler offers comprehensive security assessments and audits across AWS, Azure, and GCP. 

This tool is equipped with an extensive array of controls spanning numerous frameworks and standards, including CIS, NIST 800, FedRAMP, and GDPR, ensuring thorough security compliance and custom framework support. It can also be integrated through Jit to run cloud misconfiguration detections periodically. 

Best For

Enterprises leveraging AWS, Azure, or GCP that prioritize stringent security compliance measures.

5. Checkov 



Checkov can preemptively identify misconfigurations in cloud infrastructure across major providers and frameworks, leveraging a CLI for cross-platform IaC scan management. With features like live terminal execution and extensible policy management, Checkov fits neatly into CI/CD workflows, allowing custom policy definitions and integrations to bolster your infrastructure's security posture.

Best For

Teams looking for a tool that provides pre-deployment checks across multiple IaC frameworks and cloud services.

6. Spectral



Spectral is a developer-first IaC scanning tool that tracks down misconfigurations and secrets sprawl. It offers a unique approach by combining developers' workflows with security scanning. The platform also provides continuous visibility into public exposures and supply chain vulnerabilities while allowing for the integration and enforcement of custom security policies.

Best For

Developer teams that need a security tool that fits seamlessly into their existing workflows.

Customer Review: 

“I like the daily scan of all our repositories; it helps us to fix important security issues in the code. Also, the support team is very good.”

7. Trivy



Trivy is known for its simplicity and comprehensive vulnerability detection for containers and other artifacts. It's versatile for scanning both local and remote images, filesystems, and repositories, all while being an open-source tool under the Apache 2.0 license.

Best For

Organizations that use containerized applications. 

8. Terrascan



Terrascan checks your cloud-native infrastructure, verifying that it meets security best practices and compliance standards by scanning IaC with over 500 ready-to-go policies, including CIS Benchmarks.

Best For

Organizations and teams aiming for high-security standards in their cloud-native deployments, especially those utilizing a mix of IaC tools and cloud providers.

9.  PingSafe 



PingSafe’s shift-left security enforcement scans for over 800 types of secrets and monitors policy drift in real time. Advanced features include automated threat remediation, helpful data visualizations, and seamless CI/CD integration. 

Best For

Organizations with a larger budget are looking for a comprehensive cloud security tool that extends beyond IAC. 

Customer Review:

“No matter the complexity of the task, PingSafe breaks it down into easily navigable steps. Its thoughtful design fosters an inclusive environment where even those with minimal technical expertise can confidently interact with the system. It’s a refreshing change and adds immense value to our operations.”

10. Cloudsploit 



CloudSploit by Aqua scans and identifies security risks for public cloud accounts across AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI, and GitHub through a two-phase data collection process and scanning for misconfigurations and threats.

Best For

Cloud-focused organizations. 

Customer Review:

“It scans configurations of AWS accounts. It's freeware. A free trial is available. It's a SAAS web-based cloud application. It helps in detecting intrusion, tracking any vulnerability.”

Securing Your Code for the Future

The critical role of IaC security in modern infrastructure management is clear. The right tools elevate not just security measures but also the efficiency and synergy of development and operations teams. As we look to the future, investing in such solutions is not just a matter of security – it's a matter of ensuring the resilience and efficiency of our infrastructures.

Jit’s DevSecOps platform not only integrates with but also amplifies the capabilities of other top IaC security tools. It is an end-to-end automation solution that enables you to easily integrate various security testing tools (such as IaC, DAST, and SAST) into your CI/CD pipelines so you can fully manage your entire SSDLC security under one platform. Explore Jit today to secure your infrastructure.