---
title: "Cloud Deployment Quick Start"
description: "Use StackHawk Cloud Deployment to scan a publicly accessible domain. Enter your domain, verify ownership, and run your first cloud-deployed security scan."
url: https://docs.stackhawk.com/getting-started/quickstart/
---

# Cloud Deployment Quick Start

Scan from StackHawk's cloud — no install, no YAML, no Docker required

StackHawk Cloud Deployment runs the scanner from StackHawk’s infrastructure — no Docker, YAML, or CLI setup required. Every trial account includes 10 cloud-deployed scan hours to get started.

> **Note:** Using an AI coding agent? [Scan from your agent](https://docs.stackhawk.com/ai-security/) instead — zero setup, auto-fix included. Or [install HawkScan](https://docs.stackhawk.com/getting-started/install-and-run/) for local and CI/CD scanning.

## Step 1: Create Your StackHawk Account

Sign up for a free [StackHawk account](https://auth.stackhawk.com/signup). You’ll get 14 days to explore the platform and 10 hours of cloud-deployed scanning.

## Step 2: Enter Your Domain

In the StackHawk platform, you’ll be prompted to enter the domain of the application you want to scan. This should be the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) where your application is accessible — for example, `app.example.com`.

*Your application must be accessible from the public internet.* If your application is behind a firewall, add the following StackHawk cloud scanner source IP addresses to your allowlist:

- `44.253.178.186`
- `44.245.102.24`
- `44.253.194.62`

If you need help configuring access, contact <support@stackhawk.com>.

## Step 3: Verify Domain Ownership

Before scanning, StackHawk needs to confirm you own the domain. There are two paths:

- **Automatic verification**: If your signup email domain matches the application domain, verification happens automatically.
- **DNS verification**: Otherwise, you’ll add a DNS TXT record to prove ownership.

For DNS verification, create a TXT record with the values shown in the StackHawk platform:

| Field | Value |
| - | - |
| **Name (Host)** | Provided by StackHawk (e.g., `_stackhawk.example.com`) |
| **Value** | Unique verification token shown in the platform |
| **TTL** | `3600` (or your DNS provider’s default) |

Once you’ve added the DNS record, click **Verify** in the platform to complete verification.

*DNS propagation typically completes within minutes, but can take up to 24 hours depending on your DNS provider.*

> **Tip:** Need help with verification? Contact <support@stackhawk.com> or reach out to the solution architect assisting during your POV.

## Step 4: Configure Your First Scan

After verification, StackHawk automatically profiles your domain and generates a scan configuration. Review the configuration in the platform and customize it for your application:

- **Domain**: Confirm or update the target domain for your scan
- **Authentication**: Add authentication such as basic auth, third-party OAuth providers, and more
- **OpenAPI Spec**: Upload an OpenAPI specification to improve scan coverage across your API endpoints

Configuration is managed in the StackHawk UI. For fine-grained control, click **Advanced Mode** to edit the underlying YAML directly.

## Step 5: Run Your First Scan

Click **Run Scan** to start. StackHawk provisions the scanner in the cloud and begins scanning your application. Cloud-deployed scans use a production-safe scan policy by default, so the scanner won’t disrupt your running application. You can monitor scan progress in real-time from the platform — no terminal or logs to watch.

## Step 6: Review Results

Once your scan completes, findings will appear in the StackHawk platform. Select any finding to see its full details, including:

- **Severity**: Rated as High, Medium, or Low
- **Description**: What the vulnerability is and why it matters
- **Evidence**: The specific request and response that triggered the finding
- **Remediation guidance**: How to fix the issue

View your results at any time from the [Scans](https://app.stackhawk.com/scans) page in the StackHawk platform.

## What’s Next?

- [Authenticated Scanning](https://docs.stackhawk.com/getting-started/authenticated-scan/): Test protected routes behind login screens.
- [Install & Run HawkScan](https://docs.stackhawk.com/getting-started/install-and-run/): Run scans locally with the CLI.
- [Scan Optimization](https://docs.stackhawk.com/getting-started/scan-optimization/): Improve coverage with API specs, seed paths, and custom policies.