What threat models apply to Ephemeral build agents?

Ephemeral build agents are temporary environments that are created for the purpose of building, testing, and deploying applications. While these agents provide flexibility and scalability, they also introduce several threat models that organizations must be aware of. Below are some common threat models that apply to ephemeral build agents:

• Data Leakage: Sensitive information could inadvertently be exposed through logs or artifacts generated during the build process.
• Malicious Code Execution: If a malicious actor manages to introduce harmful code into the build pipeline, it could lead to the deployment of compromised applications.
• Unauthorized Access: Lack of proper authentication and authorization controls may allow unauthorized users to access the build agents and manipulate the build process.
• Environment Compromise: Compromising the ephemeral environment during the build phase can impact subsequent builds and lead to security vulnerabilities in live environments.
• Dependency Vulnerabilities: Relying on third-party libraries may introduce risks if those dependencies contain vulnerabilities that can be exploited during the build process.

Organizations should implement best practices for securing ephemeral build agents—like managing secrets, conducting regular security audits, and using automated testing to detect vulnerabilities early in the development process.