GRC Tools and DuploCloud

An explanation of how DuploCloud and GRC tools work together

When pursuing specific compliance certifications such as SOC2, HIPAA, or PCI, specific controls must be implemented across an organization, from data management to infrastructure. Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) tools such as Drata, Vanta, Thoropass, Secureframe, A-LIGN (A-SCEND), Sprinto, Scytale, ControlMap, and TrustCloud.ai help define and maintain these controls, ensuring they are kept up to date. Understanding how these tools complement DuploCloud is essential for meeting compliance requirements.

Implementing Compliance Controls vs Assessing Compliance

DuploCloud automates cloud infrastructure provisioning, configuration, and monitoring to meet compliance standards like SOC 2, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. By using Infrastructure as Code (IaC), prebuilt templates, and compliance checks, DuploCloud creates cloud environments that meet the these frameworks' requirements. While DuploCloud has built-in dashboards which provide compliance scores against well known Compliance standards, auditors prefer using dedicated compliance monitoring systems that are independent from the process of infrastructure provisioning.

This is where GRC tools come in. GRC tools automate compliance monitoring, reporting, and evidence collection organization-wide. Acting as independent observers, they assess compliance without implementing controls themselves, ensuring impartiality. Beyond cloud infrastructure, GRC tools cover areas like HR policies, IT systems, and company processes. They streamline audits by automating evidence collection and providing a centralized platform for auditors to verify compliance.

Overall, DuploCloud and GRC tools serve different functions, but complement each other to support overall compliance efforts. For organizations seeking the most streamlined compliance strategy, combining DuploCloud with a GRC tool offers the best of both worlds.

How Does DuploCloud Complement GRC Tools?

GRC tools monitor compliance but do not implement the controls needed to maintain it. DuploCloud complements these tools by ensuring cloud infrastructure controls are implemented and ready for assessment. Together, they streamline and maintain compliance, each focusing on distinct aspects of the process: GRC tools oversee compliance across broader organizational domains, and DuploCloud ensures cloud infrastructure controls are in place and audit-ready.

DuploCloud adds value through:

Infrastructure Orchestration: DuploCloud provisions and manages cloud resources in line with compliance frameworks such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA, automating the technical implementation of controls.

Continuous Compliance: By enforcing policies and automatically remediating misconfigurations, DuploCloud ensures that cloud infrastructure remains compliant over time, delivering a consistent "green" status for infrastructure controls.

Evidence for Auditors: DuploCloud generates detailed, audit-ready evidence for cloud infrastructure compliance. This evidence can be used directly by auditors or integrated with GRC tools to simplify compliance reporting.

For more information about how DuploCloud supports compliance, see the Security and Compliance Workflow.

Do I Need a GRC Tool if I Use DuploCloud?

It depends on your compliance needs.

If your main goal is ensuring your cloud infrastructure meets compliance standards, DuploCloud can streamline the process by automating the implementation of the necessary controls. DuploCloud provides a variety of built-in compliance tools to manage internal-facing tasks like assessing your cloud environment, generating a compliance score, or performing self-assessments.

For external-facing compliance activities, such as preparing for audits and certifications like SOC 2, a GRC tool may be essential. These tools systematically and continuously monitor controls across organizational areas, including IT and HR, that are critical for certifications and beyond DuploCloud’s scope. They provide real-time pass/fail insights, offering immediate visibility into compliance status as changes are made to organization, practices, or infrastructure. This makes evidence collection and audit coordination much more efficient than manual tracking.

Most customers use DuploCloud in conjunction with GRC tools, but some choose to manage their cloud infrastructure controls with DuploCloud while handling audits manually. This approach requires significant effort, including manually collecting evidence via spreadsheets and coordinating directly with the auditor.