---
title: Service account private key file not defined
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  Security > IaC Security Rules > Service account private key file not defined
---

# Service account private key file not defined

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

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

{% /callout %}

## Metadata{% #metadata %}

**Id:** `kubernetes-service-account-private-key-file-not-defined` 

**Platform:** Kubernetes

**Severity:** Medium

**Category:** Encryption

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

- [Provider Reference](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/command-line-tools-reference/kube-controller-manager/)

### Description{% #description %}

When `kube-controller-manager` is used, the `--service-account-private-key-file` flag should be set. This rule checks the `containers` and `initContainers` `command` fields for `kube-controller-manager` and verifies the presence of the `--service-account-private-key-file` flag. Setting this flag ensures the controller manager has a private key to sign service account tokens.

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

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: command-demo
  labels:
    purpose: demonstrate-command
spec:
  containers:
    - name: command-demo-container
      image: gcr.io/google_containers/kube-controller-manager-amd64:v1.6.0
      command: ["kube-controller-manager"]
      args: ["--service-account-private-key-file=/path/to/key/file.pem"]
  restartPolicy: OnFailure
```

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: command-demo
  labels:
    purpose: demonstrate-command
spec:
  containers:
    - name: command-demo-container
      image: gcr.io/google_containers/kube-controller-manager-amd64:v1.6.0
      command: ["kube-controller-manager","--service-account-private-key-file=/path/to/key/file.pem"]
      args: []
  restartPolicy: OnFailure
```

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

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: command-demo
  labels:
    purpose: demonstrate-command
spec:
  containers:
    - name: command-demo-container
      image: gcr.io/google_containers/kube-controller-manager-amd64:v1.6.0
      command: ["kube-controller-manager"]
      args: []
  restartPolicy: OnFailure
```