---
description: |
  The inspec Packer provisioner allows inspec profiles to be run to test the
  machine.
layout: docs
page_title: InSpec - Provisioners
sidebar_title: InSpec
---

# InSpec Provisioner

Type: `inspec`

The `inspec` Packer provisioner runs InSpec profiles. It dynamically creates a
target configured to use SSH, runs an SSH server, executes `inspec exec`, and
marshals InSpec tests through the SSH server to the machine being provisioned
by Packer.

## Basic Example

This is a fully functional template that will test an image on DigitalOcean.
Replace the mock `api_token` value with your own.

```json
{
  "provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "inspec",
      "profile": "https://github.com/dev-sec/linux-baseline"
    }
  ],

  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "digitalocean",
      "api_token": "<digital ocean api token>",
      "image": "ubuntu-14-04-x64",
      "region": "sfo1"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Configuration Reference

Required Parameters:

- `profile` (string) - The profile to be executed by InSpec.

Optional Parameters:

- `inspec_env_vars` (array of strings) - Environment variables to set before
  running InSpec. Usage example:

  ```json
    "inspec_env_vars": [ "FOO=bar" ]
  ```

- `command` (string) - The command to invoke InSpec. Defaults to `inspec`.

- `extra_arguments` (array of strings) - Extra arguments to pass to InSpec.
  These arguments _will not_ be passed through a shell and arguments should
  not be quoted. Usage example:

  ```json
    "extra_arguments": [ "--sudo", "--reporter", "json" ]
  ```

- `attributes` (array of strings) - Attribute Files used by InSpec which will
  be passed to the `--input-file` argument of the `inspec` command when this
  provisioner runs InSpec. Specify this if you want a different location.
  Note using also `"--input-file"` in `extra_arguments` will override this
  setting.

- `attributes_directory` (string) - The directory in which to place the
  temporary generated InSpec Attributes file. By default, this is the
  system-specific temporary file location. The fully-qualified name of this
  temporary file will be passed to the `--input-file` argument of the `inspec`
  command when this provisioner runs InSpec. Specify this if you want a
  different location.

- `backend` (string) - Backend used by InSpec for connection. Defaults to
  SSH.

- `host` (string) - Host used for by InSpec for connection. Defaults to
  localhost.

- `local_port` (uint) - The port on which to attempt to listen for SSH
  connections. This value is a starting point. The provisioner will attempt to
  listen for SSH connections on the first available of ten ports, starting at
  `local_port`. A system-chosen port is used when `local_port` is missing or
  empty.

- `ssh_host_key_file` (string) - The SSH key that will be used to run the SSH
  server on the host machine to forward commands to the target machine.
  InSpec connects to this server and will validate the identity of the server
  using the system known_hosts. The default behavior is to generate and use
  a onetime key.

- `ssh_authorized_key_file` (string) - The SSH public key of the InSpec
  `ssh_user`. The default behavior is to generate and use a onetime key. If
  this key is generated, the corresponding private key is passed to `inspec`
  command with the `-i inspec_ssh_private_key_file` option.

- `user` (string) - The `--user` to use. Defaults to the user running Packer.

@include 'provisioners/common-config.mdx'

## Accepting the InSpec license

Chef InSpec requires accepting the license before starting to use the tool.
This can be done via `inspec_env_vars` in the template:

```json
"provisioners": [
    {
      "type": "inspec",
      "inspec_env_vars": [ "CHEF_LICENSE=accept"],
      "profile": "https://github.com/dev-sec/linux-baseline"
    }
  ],
```

See their [official docs](https://docs.chef.io/chef_license_accept/) to learn other ways to accept the license.

## Default Extra Variables

In addition to being able to specify extra arguments using the
`extra_arguments` configuration, the provisioner automatically defines certain
commonly useful InSpec Attributes:

- `packer_build_name` is set to the name of the build that Packer is running.
  This is most useful when Packer is making multiple builds and you want to
  distinguish them slightly when using a common profile.

- `packer_builder_type` is the type of the builder that was used to create
  the machine that the script is running on. This is useful if you want to
  run only certain parts of the profile on systems built with certain
  builders.

## Debugging

To debug underlying issues with InSpec, add `"-l"` to `"extra_arguments"` to
enable verbose logging.

```json
{
  "extra_arguments": ["-l", "debug"]
}
```
