New Attack Techniques Target IaC and PaC Tools in Cloud Security

New Cybersecurity Threats Target Infrastructure-as-Code Tools: What You Need to Know

Cybersecurity researchers have unveiled alarming new attack techniques targeting infrastructure-as-code (IaC) tools and policy-as-code (PaC) frameworks, specifically HashiCorp’s Terraform and Styra’s Open Policy Agent (OPA). These vulnerabilities leverage dedicated domain-specific languages (DSLs) to breach cloud platforms and extract sensitive data, raising significant concerns for organizations relying on these technologies.

According to Shelly Raban, a senior security researcher at Tenable, while these languages are designed to be more secure than conventional programming languages, they are not immune to attacks. "More secure does not mean bulletproof," Raban stated in a recent technical report.

Understanding the Risks of OPA and Terraform

What is Open Policy Agent (OPA)?

OPA is an open-source policy engine that enables organizations to enforce policies across cloud-native environments, including microservices and Kubernetes. It utilizes a native query language called Rego to define and evaluate policies. However, recent findings highlight how attackers can exploit these capabilities.

New Attack Techniques on OPA

Tenable’s research reveals that attackers can infiltrate the supply chain through compromised access keys, allowing them to insert malicious Rego policies into an OPA server. This manipulation can lead to unauthorized actions, such as credential exfiltration, utilizing built-in functions like "http.send." Even if this function is restricted, attackers can employ another function, "net.lookup_ip_addr," to tunnel data through DNS lookups—a method known as DNS tunneling.

Raban advises, "Consider restricting the net.lookup_ip_addr function as it poses a risk of data exfiltration from your OPA deployment."

Vulnerabilities in Terraform

How Attackers Exploit Terraform

Terraform simplifies cloud resource management through code-based definitions using the HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL). Attackers can exploit the "terraform plan" command, often activated during GitHub pull request workflows, to execute unreviewed changes that include malicious data sources. This creates an opening for both external attackers and malicious insiders.

Tenable warns, "Data sources run during ‘terraform plan’ significantly lower the entry point for attackers." This scenario emphasizes the importance of using only trusted third-party components in Terraform configurations.

Mitigation Strategies for Organizations

To protect against these emerging threats, organizations should consider implementing the following best practices:

• Granular Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Ensure that users have the minimum necessary permissions.
• Comprehensive Logging: Establish application-level and cloud-level logging for ongoing monitoring.
• Network and Data Access Limitations: Restrict access to sensitive data and network resources.
• Review CI/CD Pipelines: Prevent the automatic execution of unreviewed code to mitigate risks.
• Utilize IaC Scanning Tools: Employ solutions like Terrascan and Checkov to identify misconfigurations and compliance issues before deployment.

Conclusion

As the landscape of cloud security continues to evolve, staying informed about potential vulnerabilities in IaC and PaC tools like Terraform and OPA is crucial for organizations. By adopting proactive measures, companies can fortify their defenses against these sophisticated cyber threats.

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