To force Ansible to decrypt only if both the vault ID and password pairing match, you need to set the config option to, A different ID can be set with the rekeyed files through, I agree to receive email updates from Secure Coding. Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform controller Licensing, Updates, and Support, 1.6.

Apply the following practices to help secure access: Minimizing the access to system administrative accounts is crucial for maintaining a secure system.

It's definitely better to have a dedicated control machine in a secure datacenter, because you can isolate it and lock it down to prevent/minimize risk of theft or unauthorized access.

Backup and Restoration Considerations, 25.3.

This might come in the form of a file path to a secret key, or a prompt for the user to type in the password. Exactly. As noted above, Ansible does not have a custom security infrastructure.

Without an explicit declaration of the owner and group of the file, the owner is generally the user executing Ansible. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. First of all, Ansible reduces complexity through the design of tools, and it also encourages users to do the same.

In the past, Ive used Ansible to boot up backup instances and orchestrate infrastructure recoveries via AWS. On the other hand, maintaining explicitness in the tasks provides a better sense of direction to a project.

You can notice that almost allAnsible best practiceshave some sort of relation to the philosophy behind Ansible. Ansible would repeatedly apply the same security configuration with only necessary changes for reverting the system to compliance. Troubleshooting Error: provided hosts list is empty, 29.2. Question 2: the SSH keys In short, if the cloud platform supports Python and PowerShell, it will also most likely support Ansible. In addition, users should also describe the required dependencies alongside examples.

So is it better to have a dedicated control machine in data center or a remote control machine (like my laptop remotely connected to the data center)? You can consider the example of a play and the standard Ansible output in the image below.

There are many tools that can help create process flow around using source control in this manner.

Users could find out what the playbook is doing in the output of the playbook run. Maintaining a full set of users just in the controller can be a time-consuming task in a large organization, prone to error. It does this through the vault ID. First of all, Ansible reduces complexity through the design of tools, and it also encourages users to do the same.

Choose technology (i.e., database, or languages) that have traditionally had fewer problems, and then code with security at front-of-mind. The next addition to this list ofAnsible best practicesrefers to improving role usability. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site, Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, you want a dedicated management subnet (or VLAN). For servers, don't allow root access via ssh at all.

By using Ansible Vault and diversifying your accessibility through targeted and traceable usernames, you can easily increase the security of your Ansible automation easily. automation controller includes built-in logging integrations for Elastic Stack, Splunk, Sumologic, Loggly, and more. By adding the no_log- option to a task, there will be no logs of the output.

At Userify (full disclosure: we actually offer software to manage ssh keys), we deal with this all the time, since we also run the largest SSH key warehouse. The return responses should be in the module documentation with a comprehensive description. Even if you don't fall into a security regime like PCI or the HIPAA Security Rule, read through those standards and figure out how to meet them or at least very strong compensating controls. (This textbox essentially becomes /home/ansible/.ssh/authorized_keys).

See Logging and Aggregation for more information. The foremost best practice for using Ansible is to understand the philosophy underlying the design of Ansible. Do not disable SELinux, and do not disable the controllers existing multi-tenant containment. Consider utilizing the following functionality: For any administrative access, it is key to audit and watch for actions.

Maybe someone has already done that! It is free, open-source, and sits on the configuration management and orchestration tool side of DevOps. Select identifiers that can be tracked and traced back to a person. how to draw a regular hexagon with some additional lines, Teaching a 7yo responsibility for his choices. Minimize the damage when that occurs: as you pointed out already, try to minimize the handling of secret material.

Please note that I already have Active Directory for Windows servers. Users should always verify the security configuration on Ansible frequently.

Status and Monitoring via Browser API, 7.4. You can also use ansible-vault for the safety of sensitive data in playbooks and roles.

Private EC2 VPC Instances in the controller Inventory, 28.13.

Therefore, there is no clarity regarding the objective of the play. Ansible has been around the block since 2012.

There are specific approaches for dealing with roles and modules in Ansible. Convert all small words (2-3 characters) to upper case with awk or sed.

Ansible plays, and. Thanks, you convinced me about using a centralised bastion host in a separate subnet in data center.

automation controller exposes services on certain well-known ports, such as port 80 for HTTP traffic and port 443 for HTTPS traffic.

This means that it is often used from provisioning resources, configuration management, app deployments, continuous delivery, along with implementing security and compliance policies on servers.

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Preparing for an Ansible interview? However, Ansible doesnt require a single target login name. 2.

Does a self-build random 256-key based on substition and permutation have the same power as an AES-key?

An unprivileged user that you can audit back to ansible, with sudo roles. People could not know about the exact objective of the tasks. Ansible best practicesindicate that you should look for playbooks and roles before writing them. It can also be integrated into your Docker instances, Rackspace and OpenStack. Best practices dictate collecting logging and auditing centrally, rather than reviewing it on the local system. One of the best ways to get the best of Ansible is to look for re-using existing roles. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Using OAuth 2 Token System for Personal Access Tokens (PAT), 22.

You can check who did what on each server.

All you have to do is to learn how to be better at Ansible! Different pieces of automation may need to access a system at different levels.

Here are some best practices when it comes to Ansible and how to implement them.

Do not give out sudo to root or awx (the controller user) to untrusted users. Find out more about our privacy policy. Therefore, users should continue experimenting with different approaches to leverage the maximum potential of Ansibles power and simplicity. something like: Where you have a key for the bastion server, and then a separate key for the host behind it.

This will help ensure that you are truly meeting 'best practices'. Ansible is an open-source tool and is a powerful automation instrument.

Ansible has substantial capabilities for adapting to diverse environments and workflows alongside ensuring the management of complex automation tasks.

In the custom.py file located at /etc/tower/conf.d of your controller instance, add the following code block example: For more information, see Password management in Django in addition to the example posted above. Keep the number of people/accounts with root access to as small of a group as possible.

Another mention inAnsible security best practicesrefers to verification of compliance. Starting, Stopping, and Restarting the Controller, 7.3. By adding the name attribute, users could find out about the activity of the playbook. In addition, the examples in the module documentation should follow the YAML syntax. The in-built vault system adds another layer of security on top of all the other security measures you already have. If you'd like to discuss this sort of thing, email me (first dot last name at userify) and I'd be glad to have a chat no matter what direction you ultimately pursue. The next crucial philosophy of Ansibles design is the optimization of Ansible content for readability. This means that every time you want to change the accessibility of an encrypted file, the new password keys will need to be redistributed to developers who have permission to access it. Use Teams in the controller to assign permissions to groups of users rather than to users individually. Furthermore, users should always maintain a role such that it is easy to develop, test, and use with better speed and security. This website uses 'cookies' to give you the most relevant experience.

To fix this, it is good practice to employ git hooks to ignore certain types of files unless it has been prefixed by VAULT_. A system administrator/root user can access, edit, and disrupt any system application.

So, why go through all the effort? View Ansible outputs for JSON commands when using the controller, 29.6.

You can have multiple vaults with different passwords attached to a particular encrypted file.

The return responses should be in the module documentation with a comprehensive description. Users could know the objective of the play while running it. N.B., if you were using Userify, the way I would suggest doing it would be to create a Userify user for ansible (you can also break this up by project or even server group if you have multiple ansible control machines), generate an SSH key on the control server, and provide its public key in its Userify profile page. You should keep the ansible system account separate from other server-to-server system accounts such as a remote backup account, secret management, etc.

Dont Expose Sensitive Data in Ansible Output. This means that if you have an encryption for a dev and prod instance, and the password for one of these is correct it will still work. Users could find out what the playbook is doing in the output of the playbook run. .

Usability Analytics and Data Collection, 28.4.

Bring in outside/independent penetration testing and run bug bounties to make sure you are following those best practices on an on-going basis.

Setting up a jump host to use with the controller, 29.5. A little of both, you can use your laptop to connect to servers VIA a bastion host.

automation controller out-of-the-box is deployed in a secure fashion for use to automate typical environments.

See Role-Based Access Controls in the Automation Controller User Guide. The Ansible plays and tasks in the Playbook should have the Name attribute.

For the system overall, this can be done via the built in audit support (https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/7/html/Security_Guide/chap-system_auditing.html) and via the built-in logging support. Ansible playbooksare one of the significant components, or you can say, the foundation of Ansible. Without an explicit declaration of the owner and group of the file, the owner is generally the user executing Ansible. Maintain Explicitness while Writing Tasks. Users could know the objective of the play while running it. Another good security practice for Ansible when it comes to admin accounts is to avoid generic names like admin and ansible. Users could improve the safeguards of their Ansible configurations by integrating Ansible Towers data collection with general logging and analytics providers. For automation controller, this is done via the built-in Activity Stream support that logs all changes within the controller, as well as via the automation logs.

Users should obtain basic awareness regarding the structure of the Ansible and simple functionalities of Ansible. How to Improve the Usability of Roles?

Other crucial recommendations to enhance role usability include using variable parameters for modification of default behavior. But, just like with locking down an Ansible control server, try to lock down your Userify server (or whatever solution you deploy) in the same way.

I'm not sure how "ansible" specific best practices differ from any other ssh connection best practices But no, you want to run ansible as yourself, not a service account and not a root account.

Playbooks arent showing up in the Job Template drop-down, 28.11. The use of source control, branching, and mandatory code review is best practice for Ansible automation. Why?

Creating a controller Admin from the commandline, 29.4. Changing the Controller Admin Password, 29.3.

Maybe someone has already done that! Many audits scoff at this.

by Aphinya Dechalert. Ansible and automation controller comprise a general purpose, declarative, automation platform. By adding the no_log- option to a task, there will be no logs of the output.

If you are using the template- module and the file has passwords and other sensitive data, then you would not want them in the Ansible output. This is because default settings are usually used, or bad practices implemented because the developer hasnt considered the security repercussions.

Therefore, the user could easily describe automation jobs in simple English. Many individuals and organizations provide various high-quality roles such as ANXS, jdauphant, and others. But, if Ansible needs to make almost every task, it needs to have access to every commands through sudo. Meet security standards. Furthermore, users should also document the dependencies in the requirements part of Ansible.

Best Practices for Module Documentation, The documentation of modules is also a crucial aspect of. In such cases, you can use the no_log option.

Ansible does not implement any agents or additional custom security infrastructure.

It's up to you if personal accounts allow login on password, ssh key only, or require both.

Furthermore, hands-on labs and practical experience in automating configurations on Ansible can help you learn the best practices effectively. (Of course, please take a look at Userify if you get to that point!). is also an important concern for Ansible users. On the other hand, maintaining explicitness in the tasks provides a better sense of direction to a project.

are not ideal for writing code.

This means that keys cannot be revoked only changed. 4. In such cases, you can use the no_log option. Dynamic Inventory and private IP addresses, 29.13. This is done before it gets committed to the source code repository, meaning that your passwords, service accounts, key files, and other sensitive information is secure before it gets committed.

The roles also provide complete lifecycle management for service, container, or microservice. is quite clear here!

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How to run a crontab job only if a file exists?

WebSockets port for live events not working, 28.8.

By browsing this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. The next crucial philosophy of Ansibles design is the optimization of Ansible content for readability.

LDAP is kind of a pain to install (research pam_ldap and nss_ldap), but we have built in tools to integrate in seconds with Ansible, Chef, Puppet, etc. If you are using the template- module and the file has passwords and other sensitive data, then you would not want them in the Ansible output. rev2022.7.29.42699. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

I am going to introduce Ansible into my data center, and I'm looking for some security best practice on where to locate the control machine and how to manage the SSH keys.

8. Free questions on CompTIA Network+ (N10-008) Certification Exam, 25 Free Questions on Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900). This means that if your sensitive data is not secured at the source, malicious hijacking can occur without you noticing. Ansible helps in modeling the cloud IT infrastructure with a description of inter-relation between all systems. Instance Services and Failure Behavior, 13. Granting access to certain parts of the system exposes security risks. We recommend all customers of automation controller select a secure default administrator password at time of installation. Controller admins can leverage Django to set password policies at creation time via AUTH_PASSWORD_VALIDATORS to validate controller user passwords. The only good name for account that has a password is a name of a human being, like "jkowalski". automation controller, when used with best practices, should not require local user access except for administrative purposes.

May 31st, 2021 Many individuals and organizations provide various high-quality roles such as ANXS, jdauphant, and others.

@Mat, agreed completely - as I said below, you really don't need Userify or any similar tool until your team gets larger. Ansible doesnt let you revoke access. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. It is also good to note that the vault ID merely serves as a password hint, rather than a hard-line enforcer that needs to be matched. This means that admins can have their own personal account on each target server, with the ability to sudo with passwords for super admin access. Users should not expose sensitive data in the Ansible output.

What was the large green yellow thing streaking across the sky? 5.

Try to avoid ever using passwords on servers, even for sudo. It is also good to note that the vault ID merely serves as a password hint, rather than a hard-line enforcer that needs to be matched. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

Ansible plays, andAnsible rolesare not ideal for writing code. Using Custom Logos in automation controller, 27. are one of the significant components, or you can say, the foundation of Ansible.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate | AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner | Microsoft Azure Exam AZ-204 Certification | Microsoft Azure Exam AZ-900 Certification | Google Cloud Certified Associate Cloud Engineer | Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals (PL-900) | AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate, Cloud Computing | AWS | Azure | GCP | DevOps | Cyber Security | Microsoft Power Platform. If policies are desired around external verification of specific playbook content, job definition, or inventory contents, these processes must be undertaken before the automation is launched (whether via the controller web UI, or the controller API).

Heres how to set the new password on the targeted files: A different ID can be set with the rekeyed files through new-vault-id.

Copyright 2021. Ansible, an open-source automation platform, has been a prominent introduction in the DevOps movement. Herere some How-tos to MAXIMIZE YOUR ANSIBLE SKILLS. The second reason implies that when people use. How to secure it and avoid it to become a "single point of attack"? Generally, Ansible Galaxy always has a role for common software. Ansibles task-based nature helps in easier content writing with tools such as STIGMA and OpenSCAP for verifying automation. Is it possible to turn rockets without fuel just like in KSP. is where it obtains its password. She is a developer advocate and community builder, helping others navigate their journeys and careers as developers.

In addition, users should also provide sane defaults.

Keep up with the latest updates and trends in the industry. Therefore, you can find diverse illustrations of Ansible best practices from multiple sources.

Ok, better thinking to my question I have two possible answers: use LDAP key storage or Userify (see two answers below). But Do I really need it? How to achieve full scale deflection on a 30A ammeter with 5V voltage?

Here is the command to set the vault ID before you start encrypting your sensitive data. You should be most strongly focused on preventing access to the control plane, which means minimizing attack surface (only exposing a few ports, and locking down those ports as much as possible) and preferably using software that is hardened against privilege escalation and various attacks (SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, etc.) have some sort of relation to the philosophy behind Ansible. This means that if you have an encryption for a. instance, and the password for one of these is correct it will still work.

The next entry inAnsible best practicesimplies that while writing tasks, users have to be explicit.

Only a human being can be responsible for the actions done via the account and responsible for improperly securing their password, "ansible" cannot.

The owner of this username is then responsible for its safekeeping. implies that while writing tasks, users have to be explicit. Are you using the latest and greatest version of Automation Controller?

Locate and configure the Ansible configuration file, 29.7.

To fix this, it is good practice to employ git hooks to ignore certain types of files unless it has been prefixed by. Backup and Restore for Clustered Environments, 26.

The module documentation is mandatory and should follow recommendations to ensure simplicity.

It is agentless, meaning that it doesnt need a specific tool or target host in order to automate.

To secure Red Hat Enterprise Linux, start with the release-appropriate security guide: For Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7: https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/7/html/Security_Guide/, For Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/8/html/security_hardening/index.

Changing the Default Timeout for Authentication, 25.2. We generally recommend local installation rather than using cloud, since you have increased control, reduce your surface area, you can really lock it down to just known trusted networks. The following discussion presents a collection of the ten most importantansible best practices you should know. In addition, the examples in the module documentation should follow the YAML syntax. If you need to communicate w the control computer, you VPN into that subnet. Documentation of roles is also one of the important aspects of improving the user experience with Ansible. PMI, PMBOK Guide, PMP, PMI-RMP,PMI-PBA,CAPM,PMI-ACP andR.E.P.

However, Ansible doesnt require a single target login name. It doesnt matter if the vault ID is dev, if the password matches prod, Ansible will still decrypt it against the prod encryption. One of the best ways to get the best of Ansible is to look for re-using existing roles. An application is only as secure as the underlying system. Would it be possible to use Animate Objects as an energy source? How to secure it and avoid it to become a "single point of attack"? Announcing the Stacks Editor Beta release! Roles are self-contained units of Ansible automation that express in YAML language and relate with other assets in the bundle.

By using different keys or credentials for each piece of automation, the effect of any one key vulnerability is minimized, while also allowing for easy baseline auditing. Therefore, the following list of best practices would also include references to ideal measures for security on Ansible.