---
title: S3 bucket allows public ACL
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  Security > IaC Security Rules > S3 bucket allows public ACL
---

# S3 bucket allows public ACL

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## Metadata{% #metadata %}

**Id:** `terraform-aws-s3-bucket-allows-public-acl` 

**Provider:** AWS

**Platform:** Terraform

**Severity:** Medium

**Category:** Access Control

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

- [Provider Reference](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/aws/latest/docs/resources/s3_bucket_public_access_block)

### Description{% #description %}

Allowing public ACLs on an S3 bucket (`block_public_acls = false`) in Terraform configurations can expose the bucket and its contents to unauthorized public access, increasing the risk of data leakage or compromise. When public ACLs are permitted, anyone on the internet may be able to read from or write to the bucket, depending on the ACL applied. To mitigate this risk, the `block_public_acls` attribute should be set to `true` in the `aws_s3_bucket_public_access_block` resource, ensuring that public access via ACLs is blocked by default.

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

```terraform
resource "aws_s3_bucket" "negative1" {
  bucket = "example"
}

resource "aws_s3_bucket_public_access_block" "negative2" {
  bucket = aws_s3_bucket.example.id

  block_public_acls   = true
  block_public_policy = true
  ignore_public_acls  = false
}
```

```terraform
module "s3_bucket" {
  source = "terraform-aws-modules/s3-bucket/aws"
  version = "3.7.0"

  bucket = "my-s3-bucket"
  acl    = "private"
  restrict_public_buckets = true
  block_public_acls = true

  versioning = {
    enabled = true
  }

  policy = <<POLICY
{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Id": "MYBUCKETPOLICY",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Sid": "IPAllow",
      "Effect": "Deny",
      "Action": "s3:*",
      "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my_tf_test_bucket/*",
      "Condition": {
         "IpAddress": {"aws:SourceIp": "8.8.8.8/32"}
      }
    }
  ]
}
POLICY
}
```

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

```terraform
resource "aws_s3_bucket" "positive1" {
  bucket = "example"
}

resource "aws_s3_bucket_public_access_block" "positive2" {
  bucket = aws_s3_bucket.example.id

  block_public_acls   = false
  block_public_policy = true
  ignore_public_acls  = false
}

// comment
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resource "aws_s3_bucket_public_access_block" "positive3" {
  bucket = aws_s3_bucket.example.id

  block_public_policy = true
  ignore_public_acls  = false
}
```

```terraform
module "s3_bucket" {
  source = "terraform-aws-modules/s3-bucket/aws"
  version = "3.7.0"

  bucket = "my-s3-bucket"
  acl    = "private"
  restrict_public_buckets = true
  block_public_acls = false

  versioning = {
    enabled = true
  }

  policy = <<POLICY
{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Id": "MYBUCKETPOLICY",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Sid": "IPAllow",
      "Effect": "Deny",
      "Action": "s3:*",
      "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my_tf_test_bucket/*",
      "Condition": {
         "IpAddress": {"aws:SourceIp": "8.8.8.8/32"}
      }
    }
  ]
}
POLICY
}
```

```terraform
module "s3_bucket" {
  source = "terraform-aws-modules/s3-bucket/aws"
  version = "3.7.0"

  bucket = "my-s3-bucket"
  acl    = "private"
  restrict_public_buckets = true

  versioning = {
    enabled = true
  }

  policy = <<POLICY
{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Id": "MYBUCKETPOLICY",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Sid": "IPAllow",
      "Effect": "Deny",
      "Action": "s3:*",
      "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my_tf_test_bucket/*",
      "Condition": {
         "IpAddress": {"aws:SourceIp": "8.8.8.8/32"}
      }
    }
  ]
}
POLICY
}
```