---
title: Lambda functions without X-Ray tracing
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  Security > IaC Security Rules > Lambda functions without X-Ray tracing
---

# Lambda functions without X-Ray tracing

{% 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:** `terraform-aws-lambda-functions-without-x-ray-tracing` 

**Provider:** AWS

**Platform:** Terraform

**Severity:** Low

**Category:** Observability

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

- [Provider Reference](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/aws/latest/docs/resources/lambda_function#tracing_config)

### Description{% #description %}

AWS Lambda functions should have the `TracingConfig` property set with `mode = "Active"` to enable active tracing, which provides detailed request and performance monitoring through AWS X-Ray. When `tracing_config` is either omitted or configured as `mode = "PassThrough"`, as shown below, tracing data isn't automatically captured for Lambda invocations:

```
tracing_config {
  mode = "PassThrough"
}
```

Without active tracing, teams lose critical visibility into Lambda execution, making it harder to detect and troubleshoot performance issues or security incidents in serverless environments.

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

```terraform
resource "aws_iam_role" "iam_for_lambda" {
  name = "iam_for_lambda"

  assume_role_policy = <<EOF
{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Action": "sts:AssumeRole",
      "Principal": {
        "Service": "lambda.amazonaws.com"
      },
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Sid": ""
    }
  ]
}
EOF
}

resource "aws_lambda_function" "test_lambda" {
  filename      = "lambda_function_payload.zip"
  function_name = "lambda_function_name"
  role          = aws_iam_role.iam_for_lambda.arn
  handler       = "exports.test"

  tracing_config {
    mode = "Active"
  }

  # The filebase64sha256() function is available in Terraform 0.11.12 and later
  # For Terraform 0.11.11 and earlier, use the base64sha256() function and the file() function:
  # source_code_hash = "${base64sha256(file("lambda_function_payload.zip"))}"
  source_code_hash = filebase64sha256("lambda_function_payload.zip")

  runtime = "nodejs12.x"

  environment {
    variables = {
      foo = "bar"
    }
  }
}
```

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

```terraform
resource "aws_iam_role" "iam_for_lambda2" {
  name = "iam_for_lambda"

  assume_role_policy = <<EOF
{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Action": "sts:AssumeRole",
      "Principal": {
        "Service": "lambda.amazonaws.com"
      },
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Sid": ""
    }
  ]
}
EOF
}

resource "aws_lambda_function" "test_lambda2" {
  filename      = "lambda_function_payload.zip"
  function_name = "lambda_function_name"
  role          = aws_iam_role.iam_for_lambda.arn
  handler       = "exports.test"

  tracing_config {
    mode = "PassThrough"
  }

  # The filebase64sha256() function is available in Terraform 0.11.12 and later
  # For Terraform 0.11.11 and earlier, use the base64sha256() function and the file() function:
  # source_code_hash = "${base64sha256(file("lambda_function_payload.zip"))}"
  source_code_hash = filebase64sha256("lambda_function_payload.zip")

  runtime = "nodejs12.x"

  environment {
    variables = {
      foo = "bar"
    }
  }
}

resource "aws_lambda_function" "test_lambda3" {
  filename      = "lambda_function_payload.zip"
  function_name = "lambda_function_name"
  role          = aws_iam_role.iam_for_lambda.arn
  handler       = "exports.test"

  # The filebase64sha256() function is available in Terraform 0.11.12 and later
  # For Terraform 0.11.11 and earlier, use the base64sha256() function and the file() function:
  # source_code_hash = "${base64sha256(file("lambda_function_payload.zip"))}"
  source_code_hash = filebase64sha256("lambda_function_payload.zip")

  runtime = "nodejs12.x"

  environment {
    variables = {
      foo = "bar"
    }
  }
}
```