---
title: Stack without template
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  Security > IaC Security Rules > Stack without template
---

# Stack without template

{% callout %}
# Important note for users on the following Datadog sites: app.ddog-gov.com

{% alert level="danger" %}
This product is not supported for your selected [Datadog site](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/site.md). ().
{% /alert %}

{% /callout %}

## Metadata{% #metadata %}

**Id:** `32d31f1f-0f83-4721-b7ec-1e6948c60145`

**Cloud Provider:** AWS

**Platform:** Ansible

**Severity:** Low

**Category:** Build Process

#### Learn More{% #learn-more %}

- [Provider Reference](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/amazon/aws/cloudformation_module.html)

### Description{% #description %}

CloudFormation stack tasks must specify exactly one template source. Missing or ambiguous templates can cause failed deployments or unintended resource changes that increase security and availability risks.

For Ansible modules `amazon.aws.cloudformation`, `cloudformation`, `community.aws.cloudformation_stack_set`, and `cloudformation_stack_set`, one of the properties `template`, `template_body`, or `template_url` must be present and non-empty. Resources that omit all three properties are flagged as missing a template. Resources that set more than one are flagged because multiple template sources are ambiguous and can lead to unexpected template selection.

Secure examples (valid configurations):

```yaml
- name: Create CloudFormation stack from local template
  amazon.aws.cloudformation:
    stack_name: my-stack
    template: /path/to/template.yaml

- name: Create CloudFormation stack from S3 URL
  amazon.aws.cloudformation:
    stack_name: my-stack
    template_url: https://s3.amazonaws.com/bucket/my-template.yaml
```

## Compliant Code Examples{% #compliant-code-examples %}

```yaml
- name: create a stack, pass in the template body via lookup template v3
  amazon.aws.cloudformation:
    stack_name: ansible-cloudformation
    state: present
    region: us-east-1
    disable_rollback: true
    template_body: "{{ lookup('template', 'cloudformation.j2') }}"
    template_parameters:
      KeyName: jmartin
      DiskType: ephemeral
      InstanceType: m1.small
      ClusterSize: 3
    tags:
      Stack: ansible-cloudformation


- name: create a stack, pass in the template via an URL v4
  amazon.aws.cloudformation:
    stack_name: ansible-cloudformation
    state: present
    region: us-east-1
    disable_rollback: true
    template_url: https://s3.amazonaws.com/my-bucket/cloudformation.template
    template_parameters:
      KeyName: jmartin
      DiskType: ephemeral
      InstanceType: m1.small
      ClusterSize: 3
    tags:
      Stack: ansible-cloudformation


- name: Create a stack set with instances in two accounts  v5
  community.aws.cloudformation_stack_set:
    name: my-stack
    description: Test stack in two accounts
    state: present
    template_url: https://s3.amazonaws.com/my-bucket/cloudformation.template
    accounts: [1234567890, 2345678901]
    regions:
    - us-east-1
```

## Non-Compliant Code Examples{% #non-compliant-code-examples %}

```yaml
- name: create a stack, pass in the template via an URL
  amazon.aws.cloudformation:
    stack_name: "ansible-cloudformation"
    state: present
    region: us-east-1
    disable_rollback: true
    template_parameters:
      KeyName: jmartin
      DiskType: ephemeral
      InstanceType: m1.small
      ClusterSize: 3
    tags:
      Stack: ansible-cloudformation
- name: create a stack, pass in the template via an URL v2
  amazon.aws.cloudformation:
    stack_name: "ansible-cloudformation"
    state: present
    region: us-east-1
    disable_rollback: true
    template_url: https://s3.amazonaws.com/my-bucket/cloudformation.template
    template_body: "{{ lookup('template', 'cloudformation.j2') }}"
    template_parameters:
      KeyName: jmartin
      DiskType: ephemeral
      InstanceType: m1.small
      ClusterSize: 3
    tags:
      Stack: ansible-cloudformation
- name: Create a stack set with instances in two accounts
  community.aws.cloudformation_stack_set:
    name: my-stack
    description: Test stack in two accounts
    state: present
    template_url: https://s3.amazonaws.com/my-bucket/cloudformation.template
    template_body: "{{ lookup('template', 'cloudformation.j2') }}"
    accounts: [1234567890, 2345678901]
    regions:
    - us-east-1
- name: Create a stack set with instances in two accounts v2
  community.aws.cloudformation_stack_set:
    name: my-stack
    description: Test stack in two accounts
    state: present
    accounts: [1234567890, 2345678901]
    regions:
    - us-east-1
```