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Securing Your Ansible Environment

Ansible is a powerful automation tool that can help you manage your infrastructure efficiently. However, like any tool, it can pose security risks if not used properly. In this tutorial, we will discuss the best practices for securing your Ansible environment.

Use Ansible Vault for Sensitive Data​

Sensitive data such as passwords, SSH keys, and API tokens should never be stored in plaintext in your Ansible scripts or playbooks. Instead, use Ansible Vault to encrypt this data.

ansible-vault create secrets.yml

This command will create a new file secrets.yml and open it in your default editor. Once you save and close the file, it will be encrypted with the password you provided.

To use the encrypted data in your playbooks, use the include_vars module like below:

- hosts: your_host
  tasks:
    - name: Include the secrets
      include_vars:
        file: secrets.yml
        name: secrets

Limit Access to Your Ansible Control Node​

Your Ansible control node, where your playbooks and inventory files are stored, should be accessible only to those who need it.

  • Use strong SSH keys for authentication.
  • Regularly update and patch your systems.
  • Consider enabling two-factor authentication.

Use Least Privilege Principle​

When running Ansible playbooks, use the least privilege principle. This means running tasks with the minimum permissions necessary to perform the operation.

- hosts: your_host
  tasks:
    - name: Ensure apache is at the latest version
      ansible.builtin.yum:
        name: httpd
        state: latest
      become: yes
      become_user: root

In the example above, the task will be executed as the root user, which is necessary for software installation. However, not every task requires root privileges.

Secure Your Communication​

Ansible communicates with its nodes over SSH, which is secure by default. However, you can harden this communication further by:

  • Disabling root login over SSH.
  • Using SSH keys instead of passwords.
  • Regularly rotating SSH keys.
  • Using the latest SSH protocol.

Regularly Audit Your Playbooks​

Regularly audit your playbooks to ensure they follow best practices. This involves:

  • Checking for the use of plain text sensitive data.
  • Ensuring tasks are run with least privilege.
  • Verifying that all tasks are idempotent, meaning they will achieve the same result no matter how many times they are executed.

With these best practices, you can significantly enhance the security of your Ansible environment. Remember, security is not a one-time effort, but a continuous process. Stay informed about the latest security practices and update your Ansible environment accordingly.