Turbocharging IaC Pipelines: Maximizing Efficiency and Bolstering Security with Trivy in Terraform

Authored by Adarsh Ashok

At CloudifyOps, our team excels in leveraging Infrastructure as Code (IaC) methodologies to orchestrate and automate the deployment, management, and scaling of cloud infrastructure with unparalleled efficiency and reliability.

One of our customers, a healthcare startup, was using Terraform to manage their IaC pipelines. IaC is a powerful tool for managing and automating the deployment of infrastructure. It improves efficiency, reduces errors, and ensures compliance with security standards. However, Terraform does not have a built-in security scanner. You need a separate tool to scan your Terraform configurations for security vulnerabilities. As the scale and complexity of infrastructure grow, so does the need for efficient pipeline management and robust security measures.?

CloudifyOps recommended using Trivy, a vulnerability scanner that can scan Docker images, Kubernetes manifests, and Terraform configuration files to turbocharge the IaC pipeline. Trivy supports a variety of IaC formats, including Terraform. By integrating with Terraform to automate the security scanning process, Trivy improves efficiency and ensures that your Terraform configurations are always up-to-date with the latest security updates.

Trivy was installed on the customer’s CI/CD server and configured to scan the Terraform configuration files. An initial scan showed multiple vulnerabilities that are now rectified. Apart from improving security, Trivy also helps maximize the efficiency of our customer’s IaC pipelines. Trivy can scan Terraform configuration files for drift. Drift occurs when the configuration files do not match the actual infrastructure. Trivy allows the client to identify and fix the drift quickly, preventing outages and other problems. In this manner, Trivy mitigates the risk of a security breach and protects the company's infrastructure.

This blog post explores how Trivy, a vulnerability scanner, can be integrated into Terraform pipelines to maximize efficiency and bolster security.

What Trivy can scan

1. Container Image
2. Filesystem
3. Git Repository (remote)
4. Virtual Machine Image
5. Kubernetes
6. AWS

What Trivy Can Find

1. OS packages and software dependencies in use (SBOM)
2. Known vulnerabilities (CVEs)
3. IaC issues and misconfigurations
4. Sensitive information and secrets
5. Software licenses

Workflow Diagram of IaC Pipeline

Step 1: Set Up Version Control System (VCS)

• Choose a version control system like Git (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).
• Create a repository to store your Terraform code and pipeline scripts.

Step 2: Develop Terraform Code

• Write your Terraform code to define your infrastructure as code.
• Keeping your code DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself).
• Documenting your code with comments.
• Organize your code into modules for reusability / Use terraform Registry Module
• Follow best practices for IaC development to ensure consistency and maintainability.

Step 3: Implement CI/CD Pipeline

• Choose a CI/CD tool (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions, Travis CI).
• Pipeline Configuration: Create a pipeline configuration file (e.g., .gitlab-ci.yml, Jenkinsfile) in your repository. Define the stages and steps of your pipeline.

Step 4: Define pipeline stages:

• Checkout: Clone the repository to the CI/CD runner. Ensure that proper authentication and access controls are in place.
• Install Dependencies: Set up a consistent environment for your pipeline by installing the necessary dependencies. This may include Terraform, Trivy, or other tools used in your infrastructure.
• Terraform Plan: Run the Terraform plan to create an execution plan for infrastructure changes. Store the plan output for later review and approval.
• Trivy Scan: Incorporate Trivy into your pipeline to scan container images for vulnerabilities. Ensure that only trusted and secure images are used in your infrastructure.
• Terraform Apply: If the plan is approved, apply changes using Terraform ‘Apply’. Implement proper gating mechanisms to prevent unauthorized deployments.

Step 5: Integrate Trivy for Security Scanning

• Add a stage in your CI/CD pipeline to run Trivy:
• Install Trivy in the CI/CD environment.
• Run Trivy to scan the container images used in your infrastructure.

Step 6: Implement Infrastructure Testing

• Integrate infrastructure testing tools like Terratest to automate the testing of your Terraform code.
• Add tests to your pipeline to ensure your infrastructure code behaves as expected.

What are Turbocharging IaC Pipelines?

Turbocharging IaC pipelines refers to optimizing and enhancing the efficiency of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) pipelines. IaC pipelines are the automated workflows and processes that enable organizations to manage and deploy their infrastructure resources using code. These pipelines typically involve code compilation, testing, security scanning, and deployment.

Turbocharging IaC pipelines involves implementing various strategies, tools, and best practices to improve the pipeline’s speed, reliability, and security. The goal is to streamline the process and ensure infrastructure changes deploy quickly and accurately while maintaining a solid security posture.

Features of Trivy Scanner

1. Easy installation – apt, yum, apk, Bundler, Composer, pipenv, Poetry, etc.
2. Highly Accurate
3. Detect comprehensive vulnerabilities
4. Simple – Specify only an image name or artifact name
5. Quick – The first scan will finish within 10 seconds (depending on your network). Consequent scans will finish in single-digit seconds.
6. DevSecOps – Appropriate for CI such as Jenkins, Travis CI, GitLab CI, etc
7. Supports multiple formats – Including container image, local filesystem, and remote git repository

What are the critical benefits if we add Trivy to the IaC pipeline?

When used together (Tirivy + IAC + CI) powerful tools can detect early potential threats while enforcing long-term compliance standards, giving organizations peace of mind regarding their infrastructure security.

When Trivy is integrated into a client’s pipeline, they can experience several benefits listed below.

1. Early Vulnerability Detection: Trivy scans container images and software artifacts for known vulnerabilities during development. This identifies vulnerabilities and addresses them before they make their way into production, reducing the risk of security breaches.
2. Automation and DevOps Integration: Integrating Trivy with Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines is easy. Automated vulnerability scanning ensures that every new code change or deployment is scanned for potential vulnerabilities, minimizing manual intervention and reducing human error. It also enables quick feedback to developers.
3. Reduced Attack Surface: Identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities early helps reduce the attack surface available to potential attackers. This is particularly important for containerized applications frequently targeted due to their popularity and interconnected nature.
4. Compliance and Risk Mitigation: Many industries have specific security and compliance requirements. Trivy's vulnerability scanning helps organizations meet these requirements by identifying and addressing vulnerabilities that could lead to non-compliance.
5. Open Source Community Support: Trivy is open source, meaning it benefits from a large community of developers and security experts. Updates, improvements, and new vulnerability databases are regularly contributed by the community, enhancing the tool's effectiveness over time.
6. Customizable Policies: Trivy allows users to set up customizable vulnerability scanning policies based on severity levels, packages, or other criteria. This enables organizations to tailor the scanning process to their specific needs.
7. Improved Reputation and Trust: Integrating security tools like Trivy demonstrates a commitment to producing secure and reliable software. This can enhance the client's reputation and build trust among users and stakeholders.
8. Cost Savings: Identifying vulnerabilities early in the development process can significantly reduce the cost of addressing security issues later in the software lifecycle. The cost of remediating a vulnerability after deployment can be much higher.

Benefits of Integrating Trivy with Terraform

Integration of Trivy empowers DevOps teams to confidently deploy infrastructure that adheres to the highest security standards, bolstering the overall resilience of the technology landscape. Through Trivy's automated scanning and Terraform's infrastructure-as-code methodology, organizations can navigate the complexities of modern IT environments while safeguarding against potential threats, streamlining compliance efforts, and fostering a culture of continuous security improvement.

Additional Resources

Trivy Documentation: https://aquasecurity.github.io/trivy/latest

Trivy Repository: https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy

Trivy Operator Documentation: https://aquasecurity.github.io/trivy-operator/latest

Trivy Operator Repository: https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy-operator