The Business Problem: Our Cloud Bills & Security Alerts Are Out of Control!

Byjaganrajagopalme

Detect security risks before they reach production!

In today’s Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) world, tools like Terraform make provisioning faster — but they can also unintentionally introduce misconfigurations and security loopholes
That’s where Terrascan and Checkov come in.

What is Terrascan?

Think of Terrascan as your “Infrastructure Security Inspector” 

Simple Analogy: It’s like a building inspector who checks your blueprints (Terraform code) before construction begins to make sure:

  • Doors have proper locks (security groups)
  • Electrical wiring is safe (IAM policies)
  • Building meets fire codes (compliance standards)

Terrascan (by Tenable) is another open-source static code analyzer for IaC security.
It validates Terraform configurations against CIS benchmarks, NIST, and custom enterprise policies.

It’s especially useful when you need:

  • Multi-cloud compliance (AWS, Azure, GCP)
  • Continuous scanning in pipelines
  • Policy governance before deployment

Integration:
CLI, Docker, or Kubernetes admission controller
Detect drift and misconfigurations in real time

What is Checkov?

Think of Checkov as your “Security Policy Enforcer” 

Simple Analogy: It’s like a quality control manager on a factory line who checks every product (Terraform resource) against a checklist:

Checkov (by Bridgecrew) is a powerful open-source IaC scanner that analyzes Terraform, CloudFormation, Kubernetes, Helm, and more.
It checks for:

  • Misconfigured IAM roles or open S3 buckets
  • Missing encryption (EBS, RDS, S3)
  • Non-compliant network rules (0.0.0.0/0 exposure)
  • Policy-as-code enforcement with custom rules

Integration:
Run locally before terraform plan
Integrate with GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions, or Jenkins
Automate pull request scans and block insecure code

  • Is this S3 bucket secure?
  • Are these database credentials protected?
  • Does this follow company security policies?

Imagine a financial enterprise deploying workloads via Terraform.
During CI/CD, a developer commits code to create an S3 bucket — but forgets to enable encryption and accidentally allows public access.
Without Terrascan or Checkov, this misconfiguration might go unnoticed until a security audit or data breach.

With Checkov/Terrascan integrated:

  • The pipeline automatically scans Terraform code.
  • The build fails with clear feedback: “❌ S3 bucket is publicly accessible.”
  • The issue is fixed before deployment — preventing data exposure and compliance violation.

Result?
Faster delivery
Fewer manual reviews
Continuous compliance

 

How They Fit in Your CI/CD Pipeline

The “Before” Problem:

# Developer writes Terraform code
# → Code gets merged to main branch
# → Terraform applies changes
# →  PRODUCTION ISSUES!
# →  Security team gets alerts
# →  Firefighting begins

The “After” Solution with Security Scanning:

# Developer writes Terraform code
# →  TERRASCAN & CHECKOV SCAN CODE
# → BLOCK dangerous changes
# →  Approve safe changes
# → Code gets merged
# → Terraform applies changes
# →  Everything works securely

Real Business Problems We Solve

Problem 1: “We Got Hacked Because of a Misconfiguration”

How We Fix It:

# Bad code that would get blocked:
resource "aws_s3_bucket" "customer_data" {
  bucket = "my-customer-data"
  #  MISSING: encryption, blocking public access
}

# Terrascan/Checkov immediately flag:
#  "S3 bucket must have encryption enabled"
#  "S3 bucket must block public access"
#  BLOCKS the merge until fixed

Problem 2: “Our AWS Bill Suddenly Spiked 300%”

How We Fix It:

# Expensive mistake:
resource "aws_instance" "web_server" {
  instance_type = "m5.24xlarge"  # $4/hour instead of $0.02/hour!
  count         = 50             # Meant to be 5!
}

# Security scanners catch:
# ⚠️ "Instance type seems too large for workload"
# ⚠️ "Consider using smaller instance types"

Problem 3: “We Failed Our Compliance Audit”

How We Fix It:

# Non-compliant setup:
resource "aws_rds_cluster" "database" {
  backup_retention_period = 0  # No backups!
  #  Violates company policy: "All databases must have 7-day backups"
}

# Scanners enforce policies:
#  "Database must have backup retention >= 7 days"
#  BLOCKS until policy is met

Simple Implementation for Beginners

Step 1: Add to Your GitHub Actions (It’s Like Adding a Recipe)

Create .github/workflows/security.yml:

name:  Security Scan
on: [pull_request]  # Runs when someone creates a PR

jobs:
  security-check:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name:  Get Code
        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Terrascan Scan
        uses: tenable/terrascan-action@main
        # This automatically scans all Terraform files

      - name: Checkov Scan  
        uses: bridgecrewio/checkov-action@master
        # This automatically checks security policies

Step 2: What Developers See When They Create a PR

If Code is UNSAFE:

 Security Scan Failed

Found 3 security issues:

1. CRITICAL: S3 bucket allows public access
   File: main.tf line 45
   Fix: Add 'block_public_access = true'

2. MEDIUM: Database has no backup retention
   File: database.tf line 12  
   Fix: Add 'backup_retention_period = 7'

3. MEDIUM: Security group too permissive
   File: security.tf line 23
   Fix: Restrict CIDR blocks

The PR gets BLOCKED until issues are fixed!

If Code is SAFE:

Security Scan Passed

All security checks passed! Ready to merge.

 Business Benefits (What You Tell Your Boss)

Cost Savings:

  • Prevents expensive misconfigurations before they hit production
  • Reduces cloud spending by catching over-provisioned resources
  • Saves engineering hours by catching issues early vs. firefighting

Risk Reduction:

  • Prevents security breaches from misconfigurations
  • Ensures compliance with company policies & regulations
  • Maintains customer trust by protecting their data

Operational Efficiency:

  • Faster development – developers get immediate feedback
  • Fewer production incidents – catch problems before deployment
  • Better collaboration – security team sets policies, developers follow them automatically

Real-World Success Story

Company: E-commerce startup with 20 developers
Before Terrascan/Checkov:

  • 2-3 security incidents per month
  • $15,000 in unexpected cloud costs quarterly
  • Weekly firefighting sessions

After Implementation:

  • Zero security incidents from misconfigurations
  • Cloud costs predictable and optimized
  • Developers empowered to deploy safely
  • Security team can focus on strategic work instead of reviewing every PR manually

 Business Use Cases & Value Proposition

Use Case 1: Preventing Costly Security Breaches

The Problem:

# REAL-WORLD SCENARIO
Financial_Tech_Startup = {
    "issue": "Developer accidentally made database public",
    "result": "50,000 customer records exposed",
    "costs": [
        "$2.3M - Legal fees & settlements",
        "$850K - Regulatory fines", 
        "$1.2M - Customer acquisition to replace churn",
        "60% - Stock price drop",
        "Permanent - Brand reputation damage"
    ]
}

How We Solve It:

# Security scanners catch this BEFORE deployment
security_rules:
  - rule: "DATABASE_PUBLIC_ACCESS"
    action: "BLOCK_MERGE"
    message: "Database must not be publicly accessible"
    business_impact: "Prevents data breach costing $2M+"
    
  - rule: "NO_ENCRYPTION" 
    action: "BLOCK_MERGE"
    message: "Customer data must be encrypted"
    business_impact: "Avoids GDPR fines up to 4% of global revenue"

Use Case 2: Controlling Cloud Costs

The Problem:

# REAL-WORLD SCENARIO
Ecommerce_Company = {
    "issue": "New developer created 100x oversized resources",
    "mistake": "m5.24xlarge instances instead of t3.small",
    "cost_impact": "$18,000 overnight vs $180 expected",
    "discovery": "Finance department noticed bill spike",
    "downtime": "4 hours to identify and fix while site slowed down"
}

How We Solve It:

# Automated compliance checking
compliance_frameworks:
  - hipaa:
      rules:
        - "ENCRYPTION_AT_REST: REQUIRED"
        - "ACCESS_LOGGING: REQUIRED" 
        - "BACKUP_RETENTION: 7_DAYS_MINIMUM"
  
  - soc2:
      rules: 
        - "SECURITY_GROUPS_RESTRICTIVE"
        - "IAM_LEAST_PRIVILEGE"
        - "NETWORK_ISOLATION"
  
  - gdpr:
      rules:
        - "DATA_RESIDENCY_EU"
        - "PII_ENCRYPTION"
        - "RIGHT_TO_ERASURE_SUPPORT"

Implementation – How It Actually Works

3.1 The Developer Workflow – Before & After

Before Security Scanning (Chaos):

# OLD DANGEROUS PROCESS
developer_writes_code() 
  → creates_pull_request()
  → senior_engineer_reviews() # Might miss security issues
  → merges_to_main()
  → terraform_applies() 
  →  PRODUCTION_INCIDENT() # Too late!
  → firefighting_mode()
  → blame_game_starts()

After Security Scanning (Controlled):

# NEW SAFE PROCESS  
developer_writes_code()
  → creates_pull_request()
  →  AUTOMATED_SECURITY_SCAN() # Terrascan + Checkov
  →  "All security checks passed" or ❌ "3 issues found"
  → developer_fixes_issues() # Immediate feedback
  → senior_engineer_reviews() # Focuses on architecture
  → merges_to_main()
  → terraform_applies()
  →  SUCCESSFUL_DEPLOYMENT()

 Real CI/CD Pipeline Implementation

File: .github/workflows/security.yml

name:  Infrastructure Security Scan

on:
  pull_request:
    branches: [main, develop]

jobs:
  terraform-security:
    name: Scan Terraform for Security Issues
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    
    steps:
    - name:  Checkout code
      uses: actions/checkout@v4

    - name:  Run Terrascan (Security Standards)
      uses: tenable/terrascan-action@main
      with:
        iac_type: terraform
        policy_type: aws
        # Checks: Encryption, Access Controls, Networking
        
    - name:  Run Checkov (Policy Compliance)  
      uses: bridgecrewio/checkov-action@master
      with:
        directory: .
        framework: terraform
        # Checks: Cost optimization, Best practices
        
    - name:  Generate Security Report
      if: always()
      run: |
        echo "## Security Scan Results" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
        echo "124 security checks passed" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY  
        echo " 3 warnings reviewed and approved" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
        echo "0 critical issues" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
        
    - name:  Fail on Critical Issues
      if: failure()
      run: |
        echo "CRITICAL: Security scan failed!"
        echo "Merge blocked until security issues are resolved"
        exit 1

What Developers Actually See

In Their Pull Request:

 Security Scan Report

 SUMMARY:
45 checks passed
2 warnings (review recommended)  
1 critical issue (must fix)

 CRITICAL ISSUES:
────────────────────
• S3_BUCKET_PUBLIC_ACCESS_BLOCK
  File: infrastructure/storage.tf:23
  Issue: S3 bucket allows public access
  Risk: Data breach, unauthorized access
  Fix: Add 'block_public_access = true'
  Business Impact: Prevents potential $2M+ breach

WARNINGS:
────────────────────
• EC2_INSTANCE_OVERSIZED
  File: infrastructure/compute.tf:45  
  Issue: Instance type too large for workload
  Current: m5.2xlarge ($0.384/hour)
  Recommended: t3.medium ($0.0416/hour)
  Potential Savings: $3,000/month

• IAM_POLICY_TOO_PERMISSIVE
  File: infrastructure/security.tf:12
  Issue: IAM policy allows '*' actions
  Risk: Security breach escalation
  Fix: Apply principle of least privilege

Implement Basic GitHub Action:

# .github/workflows/basic-security.yml
name: Basic Security Scan
on: [pull_request]
jobs:
  security:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: tenable/terrascan-action@main
      - uses: bridgecrewio/checkov-action@master

Conclusion:

What We’ve Solved:

  1. Financial Protection – Prevent million-dollar security incidents and cost overruns
  2. Compliance Assurance – Automatically enforce regulatory requirements
  3. Operational Excellence – Catch problems early vs. firefighting in production
  4. Developer Empowerment – Give immediate feedback and education
  5. Risk Management – Quantifiable reduction in security and operational risks

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