IAM database auth not enabled

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Metadata

Id: 88fd05e0-ac0e-43d2-ba6d-fc0ba60ae1a6

Cloud Provider: AWS

Platform: Terraform

Severity: Medium

Category: Encryption

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Description

When provisioning an AWS RDS instance with Terraform, the iam_database_authentication_enabled attribute determines whether IAM database authentication is enabled. Failing to set iam_database_authentication_enabled = true on a compatible database engine means the database will rely solely on traditional static username and password authentication, increasing the risk of credential compromise and making access control harder to manage centrally. Enabling this attribute, as shown below, leverages AWS IAM to enforce strong authentication and fine-grained, auditable access policies:

resource "aws_db_instance" "example" {
  // ...other configuration...
  iam_database_authentication_enabled = true
}

Compliant Code Examples

module "db" {
  source  = "terraform-aws-modules/rds/aws"
  version = "~> 3.0"

  identifier = "demodb"

  engine            = "aurora"
  engine_version    = "11.10"
  instance_class    = "db.t2.small"
  allocated_storage = 5

  name     = "demodb"
  username = "user"
  port     = "3306"

  vpc_security_group_ids = ["sg-12345678"]

  maintenance_window = "Mon:00:00-Mon:03:00"
  backup_window      = "03:00-06:00"

  # Enhanced Monitoring - see example for details on how to create the role
  # by yourself, in case you don't want to create it automatically
  monitoring_interval = "30"
  monitoring_role_name = "MyRDSMonitoringRole"
  create_monitoring_role = true

  tags = {
    Owner       = "user"
    Environment = "dev"
  }
}

module "db" {
  source  = "terraform-aws-modules/rds/aws"
  version = "~> 3.0"

  identifier = "demodb"

  engine            = "mysql"
  engine_version    = "5.7.19"
  instance_class    = "db.t2.large"
  allocated_storage = 5

  name     = "demodb"
  username = "user"
  password = "YourPwdShouldBeLongAndSecure!"
  port     = "3306"

  iam_database_authentication_enabled = true

  vpc_security_group_ids = ["sg-12345678"]

  maintenance_window = "Mon:00:00-Mon:03:00"
  backup_window      = "03:00-06:00"

  # Enhanced Monitoring - see example for details on how to create the role
  # by yourself, in case you don't want to create it automatically
  monitoring_interval = "30"
  monitoring_role_name = "MyRDSMonitoringRole"
  create_monitoring_role = true

  tags = {
    Owner       = "user"
    Environment = "dev"
  }

  # DB subnet group
  subnet_ids = ["subnet-12345678", "subnet-87654321"]

  # DB parameter group
  family = "mysql5.7"

  # DB option group
  major_engine_version = "5.7"

  # Database Deletion Protection
  deletion_protection = true

  parameters = [
    {
      name = "character_set_client"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    },
    {
      name = "character_set_server"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    }
  ]

  options = [
    {
      option_name = "MARIADB_AUDIT_PLUGIN"

      option_settings = [
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_EVENTS"
          value = "CONNECT"
        },
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_FILE_ROTATIONS"
          value = "37"
        },
      ]
    },
  ]
}

resource "aws_db_instance" "negative1" {
  allocated_storage    = 20
  storage_type         = "gp2"
  engine               = "mysql"
  engine_version       = "5.7"
  instance_class       = "db.t2.micro"
  name                 = "mydb"
  username             = "foo"
  password             = "foobarbaz"
  iam_database_authentication_enabled = true
}

Non-Compliant Code Examples

resource "aws_db_instance" "positive1" {
  allocated_storage    = 20
  storage_type         = "gp2"
  engine               = "mysql"
  engine_version       = "8.0"
  instance_class       = "db.t2.micro"
  name                 = "mydb"
  username             = "foo"
  password             = "foobarbaz"
}

module "db" {
  source  = "terraform-aws-modules/rds/aws"
  version = "~> 3.0"

  identifier = "demodb"

  engine            = "mysql"
  engine_version    = "8.0"
  instance_class    = "db.t2.large"
  allocated_storage = 5

  name     = "demodb"
  username = "user"
  password = "YourPwdShouldBeLongAndSecure!"
  port     = "3306"

  vpc_security_group_ids = ["sg-12345678"]

  maintenance_window = "Mon:00:00-Mon:03:00"
  backup_window      = "03:00-06:00"

  # Enhanced Monitoring - see example for details on how to create the role
  # by yourself, in case you don't want to create it automatically
  monitoring_interval = "30"
  monitoring_role_name = "MyRDSMonitoringRole"
  create_monitoring_role = true

  tags = {
    Owner       = "user"
    Environment = "dev"
  }

  # DB subnet group
  subnet_ids = ["subnet-12345678", "subnet-87654321"]

  # DB parameter group
  family = "mysql5.7"

  # DB option group
  major_engine_version = "5.7"

  # Database Deletion Protection
  deletion_protection = true

  parameters = [
    {
      name = "character_set_client"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    },
    {
      name = "character_set_server"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    }
  ]

  options = [
    {
      option_name = "MARIADB_AUDIT_PLUGIN"

      option_settings = [
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_EVENTS"
          value = "CONNECT"
        },
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_FILE_ROTATIONS"
          value = "37"
        },
      ]
    },
  ]
}

module "db" {
  source  = "terraform-aws-modules/rds/aws"
  version = "~> 3.0"

  identifier = "demodb"

  engine            = "mysql"
  engine_version    = "8.0.28"
  instance_class    = "db.t2.large"
  allocated_storage = 5

  name     = "demodb"
  username = "user"
  password = "YourPwdShouldBeLongAndSecure!"
  port     = "3306"

  iam_database_authentication_enabled = false

  vpc_security_group_ids = ["sg-12345678"]

  maintenance_window = "Mon:00:00-Mon:03:00"
  backup_window      = "03:00-06:00"

  # Enhanced Monitoring - see example for details on how to create the role
  # by yourself, in case you don't want to create it automatically
  monitoring_interval = "30"
  monitoring_role_name = "MyRDSMonitoringRole"
  create_monitoring_role = true

  tags = {
    Owner       = "user"
    Environment = "dev"
  }

  # DB subnet group
  subnet_ids = ["subnet-12345678", "subnet-87654321"]

  # DB parameter group
  family = "mysql5.7"

  # DB option group
  major_engine_version = "5.7"

  # Database Deletion Protection
  deletion_protection = true

  parameters = [
    {
      name = "character_set_client"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    },
    {
      name = "character_set_server"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    }
  ]

  options = [
    {
      option_name = "MARIADB_AUDIT_PLUGIN"

      option_settings = [
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_EVENTS"
          value = "CONNECT"
        },
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_FILE_ROTATIONS"
          value = "37"
        },
      ]
    },
  ]
}