---
title: Security group ingress has CIDR not recommended
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  Security > IaC Security Rules > Security group ingress has CIDR not
  recommended
---

# Security group ingress has CIDR not recommended

{% callout %}
# Important note for users on the following Datadog sites: app.ddog-gov.com, us2.ddog-gov.com

{% alert level="danger" %}
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{% /callout %}

## Metadata{% #metadata %}

**Id:** `cloudformation-aws-security-group-ingress-has-cidr-not-recommended` 

**Provider:** AWS

**Platform:** CloudFormation

**Severity:** Low

**Category:** Best Practices

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

- [Provider Reference](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSCloudFormation/latest/UserGuide/aws-properties-ec2-security-group-ingress.html)

### Description{% #description %}

Ingress rules that use single-address CIDRs (IPv4 `/32` or IPv6 `/128`) are brittle. They often indicate hard-coded, single-IP access which can become stale, break when addresses are reassigned, and lead to unintended access or operational disruption.

This check inspects `AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupIngress` resources (`Properties.CidrIp` and `Properties.CidrIpv6`) and `AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup` resources' `Properties.SecurityGroupIngress[].CidrIp` and `CidrIpv6` entries. Any entry containing `/32` (IPv4) or `/128` (IPv6) will be flagged.

To remediate, avoid hard-coding single IPs by using `SourceSecurityGroupId`, AWS managed prefix lists, or appropriately scoped network CIDRs that reflect your trusted network. If a single-IP exception is required, document the justification and maintain a process to review and update it.

Secure configuration example (use security group reference instead of single IP):

```yaml
MySecurityGroup:
  Type: AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup
  Properties:
    GroupDescription: Web server security group
    VpcId: !Ref MyVPC
    SecurityGroupIngress:
      - IpProtocol: tcp
        FromPort: 443
        ToPort: 443
        SourceSecurityGroupId: !Ref BastionSecurityGroup
```

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

```yaml
Resources:
  InstanceSecurityGroup:
    Type: AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup
    Properties:
      GroupDescription: Allow http to client host
      VpcId:
         Ref: myVPC
      SecurityGroupIngress:
      - IpProtocol: tcp
        Description: TCP
        FromPort: 80
        ToPort: 80
        CidrIp: 192.0.2.0/24
      SecurityGroupEgress:
      - IpProtocol: tcp
        Description: TCP
        FromPort: 80
        ToPort: 80
        CidrIp: 192.0.2.0/24
  OutboundRule:
    Type: AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupEgress
    Properties:
      Description: TCP
      IpProtocol: tcp
      FromPort: 0
      ToPort: 0
      CidrIp: 192.0.2.0/24
      DestinationSecurityGroupId:
        Fn::GetAtt:
        - TargetSG
        - GroupId
      GroupId:
        Fn::GetAtt:
        - SourceSG
        - GroupId
  InboundRule:
    Type: AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupIngress
    Properties:
      Description: TCP
      IpProtocol: tcp
      FromPort: 0
      ToPort: 0
      CidrIpv6: 2001:0DB8:1234::/48
      SourceSecurityGroupId:
        Fn::GetAtt:
        - SourceSG
        - GroupId
      GroupId:
        Fn::GetAtt:
        - TargetSG
        - GroupId
```

```json
{
  "Resources": {
    "InstanceSecurityGroup": {
      "Properties": {
        "VpcId": {
          "Ref": "myVPC"
        },
        "SecurityGroupIngress": [
          {
            "IpProtocol": "tcp",
            "Description": "TCP",
            "FromPort": 80,
            "ToPort": 80,
            "CidrIp": "192.0.2.0/24"
          }
        ],
        "SecurityGroupEgress": [
          {
            "ToPort": 80,
            "CidrIp": "192.0.2.0/24",
            "IpProtocol": "tcp",
            "Description": "TCP",
            "FromPort": 80
          }
        ],
        "GroupDescription": "Allow http to client host"
      },
      "Type": "AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup"
    },
    "OutboundRule": {
      "Type": "AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupEgress",
      "Properties": {
        "ToPort": 0,
        "CidrIp": "192.0.2.0/24",
        "DestinationSecurityGroupId": {
          "Fn::GetAtt": [
            "TargetSG",
            "GroupId"
          ]
        },
        "GroupId": {
          "Fn::GetAtt": [
            "SourceSG",
            "GroupId"
          ]
        },
        "Description": "TCP",
        "IpProtocol": "tcp",
        "FromPort": 0
      }
    },
    "InboundRule": {
      "Type": "AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupIngress",
      "Properties": {
        "ToPort": 0,
        "CidrIpv6": "2001:0DB8:1234::/48",
        "SourceSecurityGroupId": {
          "Fn::GetAtt": [
            "SourceSG",
            "GroupId"
          ]
        },
        "GroupId": {
          "Fn::GetAtt": [
            "TargetSG",
            "GroupId"
          ]
        },
        "Description": "TCP",
        "IpProtocol": "tcp",
        "FromPort": 0
      }
    }
  }
}
```

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

```yaml
Resources:
  InstanceSecurityGroup:
    Type: AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup
    Properties:
      GroupDescription: Allow http to client host
      VpcId:
         Ref: myVPC
      SecurityGroupIngress:
      - IpProtocol: tcp
        Description: TCP
        FromPort: 80
        ToPort: 80
        CidrIp: 122.24.0.0/32
      SecurityGroupEgress:
      - IpProtocol: tcp
        Description: TCP
        FromPort: 80
        ToPort: 80
        CidrIp: 192.0.2.0/24
  OutboundRule:
    Type: AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupEgress
    Properties:
      Description: TCP
      IpProtocol: tcp
      FromPort: 0
      ToPort: 65535
      CidrIp: 192.0.2.0/24
      DestinationSecurityGroupId:
        Fn::GetAtt:
        - TargetSG
        - GroupId
      GroupId:
        Fn::GetAtt:
        - SourceSG
        - GroupId
  InboundRule:
    Type: AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupIngress
    Properties:
      Description: TCP
      IpProtocol: tcp
      FromPort: 0
      ToPort: 65535
      CidrIpv6: ::/128
      SourceSecurityGroupId:
        Fn::GetAtt:
        - SourceSG
        - GroupId
      GroupId:
        Fn::GetAtt:
        - TargetSG
        - GroupId
```

```json
{
  "Resources": {
    "OutboundRule": {
      "Type": "AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupEgress",
      "Properties": {
        "ToPort": 65535,
        "CidrIp": "192.0.2.0/24",
        "DestinationSecurityGroupId": {
          "Fn::GetAtt": [
            "TargetSG",
            "GroupId"
          ]
        },
        "GroupId": {
          "Fn::GetAtt": [
            "SourceSG",
            "GroupId"
          ]
        },
        "Description": "TCP",
        "IpProtocol": "tcp",
        "FromPort": 0
      }
    },
    "InboundRule": {
      "Type": "AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupIngress",
      "Properties": {
        "SourceSecurityGroupId": {
          "Fn::GetAtt": [
            "SourceSG",
            "GroupId"
          ]
        },
        "GroupId": {
          "Fn::GetAtt": [
            "TargetSG",
            "GroupId"
          ]
        },
        "Description": "TCP",
        "IpProtocol": "tcp",
        "FromPort": 0,
        "ToPort": 65535,
        "CidrIpv6": "::/128"
      }
    },
    "InstanceSecurityGroup": {
      "Type": "AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup",
      "Properties": {
        "SecurityGroupEgress": [
          {
            "ToPort": 80,
            "CidrIp": "192.0.2.0/24",
            "IpProtocol": "tcp",
            "Description": "TCP",
            "FromPort": 80
          }
        ],
        "GroupDescription": "Allow http to client host",
        "VpcId": {
          "Ref": "myVPC"
        },
        "SecurityGroupIngress": [
          {
            "IpProtocol": "tcp",
            "Description": "TCP",
            "FromPort": 80,
            "ToPort": 80,
            "CidrIp": "122.24.0.0/32"
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}
```