How do I automate SOC 2 evidence collection?
What Can Be Automated?
Not all SOC 2 evidence can be automated, but a significant portion can. Here's the breakdown:
| Evidence Category | Can Automate? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud configuration checks | Yes | API integrations with AWS, GCP, Azure |
| MFA enforcement status | Yes | Identity provider API |
| Employee device compliance | Yes | MDM integration (Kandji, Jamf) |
| Access provisioning records | Partially | SSO/IdP logs |
| Code change approvals | Yes | GitHub API — PR reviews and branch protection |
| Application-level controls | With AI tools | Screenata captures app screenshots and workflows |
| Policy documents | No | Must be written (AI tools can generate them) |
| Risk assessments | No | Requires human judgment |
| Vendor reviews | Partially | Can track vendor SOC 2 report dates |
Three Levels of Automation
Level 1: Manual (No Tools)
Take screenshots manually, organize in Google Drive or Notion, track in a spreadsheet. This works but takes 40-80 hours of founder/engineer time.
Level 2: GRC Platform (Drata, Vanta)
Connect cloud providers and SaaS tools. Platform monitors infrastructure configurations, flags gaps, stores evidence. Still requires manual screenshots for application-level controls and a consultant for expertise.
Level 3: AI Compliance (Screenata)
AI reads your codebase and cloud accounts. Generates policies, collects both infrastructure and application-level evidence, maps evidence to controls. Replaces both the GRC platform and the consultant.
Getting Started
- Inventory your systems. List every tool that handles security-relevant data or configurations.
- Identify automatable evidence. For each SOC 2 control, determine if evidence can be pulled via API.
- Choose your tool. Based on budget and team expertise, pick the automation level that fits.
- Fill remaining gaps manually. Some evidence (vendor reviews, risk assessments, training records) still requires manual effort regardless of tooling.
The goal isn't 100% automation — it's reducing the manual evidence burden from 80+ hours to under 10.