> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/appsec-rules/iac-security/compute/appsec-azure-179.md).

# VM Without Azure VM Agent Installed misconfiguration detected in code

## VM Without Azure VM Agent Installed misconfiguration detected in code

### Rule Details

|                        |                           |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------- |
| Cortex AppSec Rule ID  | APPSEC\_AZURE\_179        |
| Category - Subcategory | Compute - Overprovisioned |
| Provider               | AZURE                     |
| Severity               | LOW                       |
| Framework              | Terraform, Terraform Plan |

### Impact

Azure VM Agent is a lightweight process that manages and orchestrates various tasks on Azure VMs such as providing the interface to run extensions, enabling Azure Monitor and more. Ensuring VM Agent is installed helps leverage features like automated backups, patch management, and monitoring, which enhance the security and manageability of VMs.

This rule checks to ensure that the Azure VM Agent is installed on both Windows and Linux virtual machines as well as virtual machine scale sets.

### How to Fix

*Resources:*

* azurerm\_windows\_virtual\_machine
* azurerm\_windows\_virtual\_machine\_scale\_set
* azurerm\_linux\_virtual\_machine\_scale\_set
* azurerm\_linux\_virtual\_machine

*Argument:*

* provision\_vm\_agent \[source,go]

***

resource "azurerm\_windows\_virtual\_machine" "example" { name = "example-win-vm" location = azurerm\_resource\_group.example.location resource\_group\_name = azurerm\_resource\_group.example.name

## ... other configurations ...

* provision\_vm\_agent = true }

resource "azurerm\_linux\_virtual\_machine" "example" { name = "example-linux-vm" location = azurerm\_resource\_group.example.location resource\_group\_name = azurerm\_resource\_group.example.name

## ... other configurations ...

* provision\_vm\_agent = true }

## Similar configurations should be applied for "azurerm\_windows\_virtual\_machine\_scale\_set" and "azurerm\_linux\_virtual\_machine\_scale\_set"

***


---

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