Linux virtual machine scale sets should have SSH key authentication enabled
This control checks whether virtual machine scale sets have SSH key authentication enabled. It is only applicable for Linux-type operating systems. Checkov CKV_AZURE_49 asks that an Azure linux scale set not use basic authentication.
Azure Instances should use SSH Key instead of basic authentication.
What this control checks
Linux scale sets must use SSH key authentication, not basic authentication (password)
Audit evidence
Evidence that deployed resources meet this control: PowerPipe control azure_compliance.control.compute_vm_scale_set_ssh_key_authentication_linux.
Scans of the Terraform code that flag the same setting before deployment: Checkov check CKV_AZURE_49; KICS query "Azure Instance Using Basic Authentication" (dafe30ec-325d-4516-85d1-e8e6776f012c).
Tool mappings
Use these identifiers to cross-reference this control across tools, reports, and evidence.
- Compliance.tf Control:
compute_vm_scale_set_ssh_key_authentication_linux - Checkov Check:
CKV_AZURE_49 - Powerpipe Control:
azure_compliance.control.compute_vm_scale_set_ssh_key_authentication_linux - KICS Query:
dafe30ec-325d-4516-85d1-e8e6776f012c
Last reviewed: 2026-10-11