Snyk is a developer-first security platform that helps find and fix vulnerabilities in code, dependencies, containers, and infrastructure as code. Snyk's IaC scanning capability analyzes Terraform configurations to detect security misconfigurations before they reach production. This guide covers how to integrate Snyk into your Terraform workflow for comprehensive security scanning.
Snyk brings several advantages to Terraform security scanning by shifting detection left into the development cycle. Inline annotations show security issues and suggested fixes, making it easy to address problems during development rather than in the CI pipeline.
Why Snyk Matters for Terraform Workflows
Infrastructure as code changes the surface area for security. Terraform configurations define cloud resources, networking rules, access policies, and secrets handling. A misconfiguration can expose services, allow overly permissive access, or create compliance gaps.
Snyk's IaC scanning capability analyzes Terraform configurations to detect security misconfigurations before they reach production. The platform provides security context and fix guidance geared toward the developer. For every misconfiguration or noncompliance issue, there is structured security context and fix guidance geared towards the developer in Snyk.
The Terraform Plan file incorporates all modules and variables, offering a comprehensive picture of what the infrastructure will look like rather than relying solely on the resources specified in the individual configuration files. Scanning the plan output provides coverage that file-only scans miss, including interpolated values and module composition.
Snyk Terraform Provider Overview
The Snyk Terraform Provider is a plugin for Terraform that allows for the management of Snyk resources using Snyk API (v1).
Key provider characteristics are summarized below.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Provider purpose | Allows Terraform to manage Snyk resources |
| API used | Snyk API v1 |
| Terraform minimum version | Terraform >= 0.12.x |
| Registry availability | Available in the Terraform Registry |
| Stability status | Technical preview, not ready for production usage |
| Design stability | Some aspects of design and implementation are not yet considered stable |
The provider is currently in technical preview and not ready for production usage. This means some aspects of its design and implementation are not yet considered stable.
The template repository for the provider is built on the Terraform Plugin Framework. The template repository built on the Terraform Plugin SDK can be found at terraform-provider-scaffolding. See Which SDK Should I Use? in the Terraform documentation for additional information.
Provider development workflow steps from the template repository:
- Clone the repository
- Enter the repository directory
- Build the provider using the Go install command:
go install
This provider uses Go modules. Please see the Go documentation for the most up to date information about using Go modules.
To add a new dependency github.com/author/dependency to your Terraform provider:
go get github.com/author/dependency
go mod tidy
Then commit the changes to go.mod and go.sum.
To compile the provider, run go install. This will build the provider and put the provider binary in the $GOPATH/bin directory.
To generate or update documentation, run go generate.
In order to run the full suite of Acceptance tests, run make testacc.
Note: Acceptance tests create real resources, and often cost money to run.
make testacc
Make sure Terraform is configured to point out to the local installation of the provider by modifying ~/.terraformrc, adjust source code location accordingly.
Security Scanning in Terraform Cloud with Snyk Run Tasks
Terraform Cloud integration enables policy enforcement as a gate in the run pipeline. In short, by using the Snyk run task in Terraform Cloud as a gate in your run, misconfigurations are automatically discovered before proposed changes are applied to the existing cloud infrastructure. This enables developers to shift IaC security left and make Terraform security an integral part of the development process.
You can additionally customize the level of enforcement of your Snyk run task by choosing between Advisory — pausing and informing the user of failure — or Mandatory — which halts a run until a fix has been applied.
Enforcement options:
| Enforcement level | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Advisory | Pausing and informing the user of failure |
| Mandatory | Halts a run until a fix has been applied |
Customize enforcement level of policies to pause or prevent an Apply.
Snyk's infrastructure-as-code checks have a default set of security policies that check for common vulnerabilities and misconfigurations across cloud providers. In this tutorial, you will trigger Snyk's checks for overly permissive ingress rules on AWS security groups.
The setup flow described in the HashiCorp tutorial includes:
- Search for terraform and select the Terraform-Cloud integration.
- Snyk will display your account credentials that you will use to configure the integration in HCP Terraform. Keep this page open. In the next section, you will use these credentials to connect your Snyk account to your HCP Terraform organization.
- In a new browser window, navigate to your HCP Terraform account. Navigate to the Run tasks section of your organization settings and click Create run task.
- Name the run task learn-run-tasks-snyk and leave the Enabled option checked.
- Paste in the Endpoint URL and HMAC key from the Snyk browser window you left open in the previous step.
- Finally, click Create run task.
- Fork the example repository for this tutorial.
Snyk automates IaC security and compliance in workflows and detects drifted and missing resources.
As part of Snyk's effort to help developers solve configuration security issues, Snyk and HashiCorp created the 5 Best Practices for Securing Terraform Configurations cheat sheet to enable organizations to improve their IaC security and leverage policy as code with the Snyk run task for Terraform Cloud.
To get started, use our Streamline your IaC Security with Snyk and HashiCorp quick start guide to help your development teams quickly implement the Snyk and Terraform Cloud integration for detecting security vulnerabilities and enforcing security policies in minutes.
Secure infrastructure from the source.
Best Practices for Snyk Terraform Scanning
Best Practices for effective integration are documented in the Snyk workflow guide.
- Run Snyk scans on every pull request to catch issues early.
- Use severity thresholds to distinguish between blocking and non-blocking issues.
- Create custom rules for organization-specific requirements that go beyond standard security checks when your plan supports them.
- Scan both the Terraform configuration files and the plan output for comprehensive coverage.
- Use Snyk's reporting snapshots to track security posture over time.
- Integrate with Terraform Cloud run tasks for seamless security gates.
- Review and update your Snyk ignore list regularly to ensure it remains current.
Running scans on every pull request catches issues early. Severity thresholds help teams prioritize blocking versus non-blocking findings. Custom rules address organization-specific requirements beyond standard checks.
Scanning both files and plan output ensures comprehensive coverage because the Terraform Plan file incorporates all modules and variables, offering a comprehensive picture of what the infrastructure will look like rather than relying solely on the resources specified in the individual configuration files.
Snyk provides inline annotations showing security issues and suggested fixes, making it easy to address problems during development rather than in the CI pipeline. Get the issue, impact, and suggest fix in-line with the Terraform code in question.
Developer Experience and Workflow Integration
Snyk provides a developer-friendly approach to Terraform security scanning. By integrating Snyk into your development workflow through IDE extensions, CLI scans, and CI/CD pipelines, you create multiple layers of security validation.
This ensures that security issues are caught and fixed as early as possible in the development process, reducing the risk of misconfigurations reaching production. Combined with recurring Snyk IaC reports or SCM integration, you maintain ongoing visibility into your infrastructure's security posture.
Snyk provides inline annotations showing security issues and suggested fixes, making it easy to address problems during development rather than in the CI pipeline.
The platform supports multiple integration points:
- IDE extensions for real-time feedback
- CLI scans for local validation
- CI/CD pipeline gates
- Terraform Cloud run tasks for automated policy enforcement
Resources for getting started with Snyk in Terraform Cloud include the 5 Best Practices cheat sheet and the Streamline your IaC Security with Snyk and HashiCorp quick start guide.
Provider Development Notes
Terraform Provider Snyk allows Terraform to manage Snyk resources.
The template repository is built on the Terraform Plugin Framework. See examples folder for instructions on how to configured the provider and resources.
Build and test steps:
go install
go generate
make testacc
The provider uses Go modules. Please see the Go documentation for the most up to date information about using Go modules.
To add a new dependency:
go get github.com/author/dependency
go mod tidy
Then commit the changes to go.mod and go.sum.
To compile the provider, run go install. This will build the provider and put the provider binary in the $GOPATH/bin directory.
To generate or update documentation, run go generate.
In order to run the full suite of Acceptance tests, run make testacc.
Note: Acceptance tests create real resources, and often cost money to run.
Make sure Terraform is configured to point out to the local installation of the provider by modifying ~/.terraformrc, adjust source code location accordingly.
Conclusion
Snyk provides a developer-friendly approach to Terraform security scanning. By integrating Snyk into your development workflow through IDE extensions, CLI scans, and CI/CD pipelines, you create multiple layers of security validation. This ensures that security issues are caught and fixed as early as possible in the development process, reducing the risk of misconfigurations reaching production. Combined with recurring Snyk IaC reports or SCM integration, you maintain ongoing visibility into your infrastructure's security posture.
The combination of Snyk's IaC scanning capability that analyzes Terraform configurations to detect security misconfigurations before they reach production with Terraform Cloud run tasks creates an enforceable security gate. The ability to customize enforcement between Advisory and Mandatory modes lets organizations balance velocity and risk.
The Snyk Terraform Provider in technical preview offers programmatic management of Snyk resources via Terraform, with a minimum requirement of Terraform >= 0.12.x and usage of Snyk API v1. Its current preview status means design and implementation aspects are not yet stable, and production adoption should await stabilization.
Together, file and plan scanning, inline annotations, severity thresholds, custom rules, reporting snapshots, and Terraform Cloud integration provide comprehensive coverage from local development through to production apply. Regular review of ignore lists and continuous scanning on pull requests sustains security posture over time.