---
title: CPU limits not set
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  Security > IaC Security Rules > CPU limits not set
---

# CPU limits not set

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

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

{% /callout %}

## Metadata{% #metadata %}

**Id:** `5f4735ce-b9ba-4d95-a089-a37a767b716f`

**Cloud Provider:** Kubernetes

**Platform:** Terraform

**Severity:** Low

**Category:** Resource Management

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

- [Provider Reference](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/kubernetes/latest/docs/resources/pod#limits)

### Description{% #description %}

`resources.limits.cpu` should be set because if the system has free CPU time, a container is guaranteed to be allocated as much CPU as it requests. Setting a CPU limit prevents a container from consuming unbounded CPU and helps ensure fair, predictable resource allocation. This rule checks the `spec` for both `container` and `init_container` entries and verifies that `resources`, `resources.limits`, and `resources.limits.cpu` are present; it reports when any of these keys are missing.

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

```terraform

resource "kubernetes_pod" "negative1" {
  metadata {
    name = "terraform-example"
  }

  spec {
    container = [
     {
      image = "nginx:1.7.9"
      name  = "example22"

      resources = {
            limits = {
              cpu    = "0.5"
              memory = "512Mi"
            }
            requests = {
              cpu    = "250m"
              memory = "50Mi"
            }
      }

      env = {
        name  = "environment"
        value = "test"
      }

      port = {
        container_port = 8080
      }

      liveness_probe = {
        http_get = {
          path = "/nginx_status"
          port = 80

          http_header = {
            name  = "X-Custom-Header"
            value = "Awesome"
          }
        }

        initial_delay_seconds = 3
        period_seconds        = 3
      }
     }
     ,
     {
      image = "nginx:1.7.9"
      name  = "example22222"

      resources = {
            limits = {
              cpu    = "0.5"
              memory = "512Mi"
            }
            requests = {
              cpu    = "250m"
              memory = "50Mi"
            }
      }

      env = {
        name  = "environment"
        value = "test"
      }

      port = {
        container_port = 8080
      }

      liveness_probe = {
        http_get = {
          path = "/nginx_status"
          port = 80

          http_header = {
            name  = "X-Custom-Header"
            value = "Awesome"
          }
        }

        initial_delay_seconds = 3
        period_seconds        = 3
      }
     }
   ]


    dns_config {
      nameservers = ["1.1.1.1", "8.8.8.8", "9.9.9.9"]
      searches    = ["example.com"]

      option {
        name  = "ndots"
        value = 1
      }

      option {
        name = "use-vc"
      }
    }

    dns_policy = "None"
  }
}



resource "kubernetes_pod" "negative2" {
  metadata {
    name = "terraform-example"
  }

  spec {
    container {
      image = "nginx:1.7.9"
      name  = "example"

      resources  {
            limits  {
              cpu    = "0.5"
              memory = "512Mi"
            }
            requests {
              cpu    = "250m"
              memory = "50Mi"
            }
      }

      env {
        name  = "environment"
        value = "test"
      }

      port {
        container_port = 8080
      }

      liveness_probe {
        http_get {
          path = "/nginx_status"
          port = 80

          http_header {
            name  = "X-Custom-Header"
            value = "Awesome"
          }
        }

        initial_delay_seconds = 3
        period_seconds        = 3
      }
    }


    dns_config {
      nameservers = ["1.1.1.1", "8.8.8.8", "9.9.9.9"]
      searches    = ["example.com"]

      option {
        name  = "ndots"
        value = 1
      }

      option {
        name = "use-vc"
      }
    }

    dns_policy = "None"
  }
}
```

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

```terraform

resource "kubernetes_pod" "positive1" {
  metadata {
    name = "terraform-example"
  }

  spec {
    container = [
     {
      image = "nginx:1.7.9"
      name  = "example22"

      env = {
        name  = "environment"
        value = "test"
      }

      port = {
        container_port = 8080
      }

      liveness_probe = {
        http_get = {
          path = "/nginx_status"
          port = 80

          http_header = {
            name  = "X-Custom-Header"
            value = "Awesome"
          }
        }

        initial_delay_seconds = 3
        period_seconds        = 3
      }
     }
     ,
     {
      image = "nginx:1.7.9"
      name  = "example22222"

      resources = {
            requests = {
              memory = "50Mi"
            }
      }

      env = {
        name  = "environment"
        value = "test"
      }

      port = {
        container_port = 8080
      }

      liveness_probe = {
        http_get = {
          path = "/nginx_status"
          port = 80

          http_header = {
            name  = "X-Custom-Header"
            value = "Awesome"
          }
        }

        initial_delay_seconds = 3
        period_seconds        = 3
      }
     }
   ]


    dns_config {
      nameservers = ["1.1.1.1", "8.8.8.8", "9.9.9.9"]
      searches    = ["example.com"]

      option {
        name  = "ndots"
        value = 1
      }

      option {
        name = "use-vc"
      }
    }

    dns_policy = "None"
  }
}



resource "kubernetes_pod" "positive2" {
  metadata {
    name = "terraform-example"
  }

  spec {
    container {
      image = "nginx:1.7.9"
      name  = "example"

      resources {
            limits {
              memory = "512Mi"
            }
      }

      env {
        name  = "environment"
        value = "test"
      }

      port {
        container_port = 8080
      }

      liveness_probe {
        http_get {
          path = "/nginx_status"
          port = 80

          http_header {
            name  = "X-Custom-Header"
            value = "Awesome"
          }
        }

        initial_delay_seconds = 3
        period_seconds        = 3
      }
    }


    dns_config {
      nameservers = ["1.1.1.1", "8.8.8.8", "9.9.9.9"]
      searches    = ["example.com"]

      option {
        name  = "ndots"
        value = 1
      }

      option {
        name = "use-vc"
      }
    }

    dns_policy = "None"
  }
}
```