diff --git a/actions.yaml b/actions.yaml
index 297c041e..b260e6ff 100644
--- a/actions.yaml
+++ b/actions.yaml
@@ -6,3 +6,5 @@ resume:
   description: Resume the nova_compute unit.  This action will start nova_compute services.
 hugepagereport:
   description: Report on hugepage configuration and usage
+security-checklist:
+  description: Validate the running configuration against the OpenStack security guides checklist
diff --git a/actions/security-checklist b/actions/security-checklist
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..47464970
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actions/security-checklist
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+security_checklist.py
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/actions/security_checklist.py b/actions/security_checklist.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..630e745c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actions/security_checklist.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+#
+# Copyright 2019 Canonical Ltd
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#  http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+import configparser
+import os
+import sys
+
+sys.path.append('hooks')
+
+import charmhelpers.contrib.openstack.audits as audits
+from charmhelpers.contrib.openstack.audits import (
+    openstack_security_guide,
+)
+
+
+# Via the openstack_security_guide above, we are running the following
+# security assertions automatically:
+#
+# - Check-Compute-01 - validate-file-ownership
+# - Check-Compute-02 - validate-file-permissions
+# - Check-Compute-03 - validate-uses-keystone
+# - Check-Compute-04 - validate-uses-tls-for-keystone
+# - Check-Compute-05 - validates-uses-tls-for-glance
+
+
+@audits.audit(audits.is_audit_type(audits.AuditType.OpenStackSecurityGuide),)
+def is_volume_encryption_enabled(audit_options):
+    """Validate volume encryption is enabled in Cinder.
+
+    Security Guide Check Name: Check-Block-09
+
+    :param audit_options: Dictionary of options for audit configuration
+    :type audit_options: Dict
+    :raises: AssertionError if the assertion fails.
+    """
+    key_manager = audit_options['nova-conf']['key_manager']
+    assert key_manager.get('backend') is not None, \
+        "key_manager.backend should be set"
+
+
+def _config_file(path):
+    """Read and parse config file at `path` as an ini file.
+
+    :param path: Path of the file
+    :type path: List[str]
+    :returns: Parsed contents of the file at path
+    :rtype Dict:
+    """
+    conf = configparser.ConfigParser()
+    conf.read(os.path.join(*path))
+    return dict(conf)
+
+
+def main():
+    config = {
+        'config_path': '/etc/nova',
+        'config_file': 'nova.conf',
+        'audit_type': audits.AuditType.OpenStackSecurityGuide,
+        'files': openstack_security_guide.FILE_ASSERTIONS['nova-compute'],
+    }
+    config['nova-conf'] = _config_file(
+        [config['config_path'], config['config_file']])
+    return audits.action_parse_results(audits.run(config))
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/hooks/nova_compute_context.py b/hooks/nova_compute_context.py
index 4386f0a1..f11f7241 100644
--- a/hooks/nova_compute_context.py
+++ b/hooks/nova_compute_context.py
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ def _save_flag_file(path, data):
         return
     with open(path, 'wt') as out:
         out.write(data)
+    os.chmod(path, 0o640)
+    shutil.chown(path, 'root', 'nova')
 
 
 # compatability functions to help with quantum -> neutron transition
diff --git a/tests/basic_deployment.py b/tests/basic_deployment.py
index 78e9cb59..adc648de 100644
--- a/tests/basic_deployment.py
+++ b/tests/basic_deployment.py
@@ -519,6 +519,17 @@ class NovaBasicDeployment(OpenStackAmuletDeployment):
         report = data.get(u"results").get(u"hugepagestats")
         assert report.find('free_hugepages') != -1
 
+    def test_501_security_checklist_action(self):
+        """Verify expected result on a default install"""
+        u.log.debug("Testing security-checklist")
+        sentry_unit = self.nova_compute_sentry
+
+        action_id = u.run_action(sentry_unit, "security-checklist")
+        u.wait_on_action(action_id)
+        data = amulet.actions.get_action_output(action_id, full_output=True)
+        assert data.get(u"status") == "failed", \
+            "Security check is expected to not pass by default"
+
     def test_900_restart_on_config_change(self):
         """Verify that the specified services are restarted when the config
            is changed."""