Infrastructure as code security
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Tracked since2026
0 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free, no paid tier
Biggest pro
IaC security scanning
Biggest con
False positives
TL;DR - Checkov
- Free open-source infrastructure-as-code security scanner by Bridgecrew (Prisma Cloud)
- 1000+ built-in policies for Terraform, CloudFormation, Kubernetes, and Dockerfile
- Graph-based scanning for CIS, NIST, HIPAA, GDPR compliance with CI/CD integration
Pricing: Free forever
Best for: Individuals & startups
What is Checkov?
Checkov is an open-source static analysis tool for infrastructure as code. Scan Terraform, CloudFormation, Kubernetes, and Dockerfiles for security and compliance issues. 1,000+ built-in policies cover common misconfigurations. Custom policies extend coverage to your organization's requirements. Integrates with CI/CD pipelines to prevent insecure infrastructure. Shift security left by catching issues before they reach production.
Available on: Web, macOS, Linux, Windows
Pros & Cons
Pros
- IaC security scanning
- Many frameworks
- Open source
- Policy as code
- CI/CD integration
Cons
- False positives
- Learning curve
- Output verbose
- Custom policies complex
- Documentation gaps
Key Features
IaC scanningPolicy as codeMulti-frameworkCI/CD integrationCustom policiesOpen source
Pricing Plans
Open Source
Free
- 750+ built-in policies
- CIS, PCI, HIPAA compliance
- Custom policies (Python/YAML)
- CLI and VS Code extension
- CI/CD integration
- Free forever
Prisma Cloud
Contact sales
- All open source features
- Runtime scanning
- Pull request annotations
- Repository badges
- Compliance reports
- Enterprise support
Reviews
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Checkov FAQ
What is Checkov?
Checkov scans infrastructure as code (Terraform, CloudFormation, Kubernetes, etc.) for security misconfigurations before deployment.
Is Checkov free?
Yes, Checkov is completely free and open-source under the Apache 2.0 license, developed by Bridgecrew/Palo Alto.
What IaC does Checkov support?
Checkov supports Terraform, CloudFormation, Kubernetes, Helm, ARM templates, Serverless Framework, and more.
Source: checkov.io