Vanta

## What It Does

Vanta connects, read-only, to a company's cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure), identity providers (Okta, Google Workspace), code repositories (GitHub, GitLab), and HR and device management tools. It runs thousands of automated tests against those systems around the clock, flags gaps against the controls required by a chosen compliance framework, and assembles the evidence auditors need into a single dashboard. Instead of a security team manually screenshotting settings and chasing down documentation every year, Vanta keeps a live, continuously updated picture of compliance posture.

## Key Features

- **Framework coverage**: Pre-built control mapping for SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, and several others, so one set of monitored controls can satisfy multiple frameworks at once. - **Automated evidence collection**: Hourly tests pull configuration data directly from connected tools rather than relying on point-in-time screenshots. - **Vendor risk management**: Automates security questionnaires for vendors and tracks third-party risk. - **Trust Center**: A public-facing page companies can share with prospects and customers to demonstrate security posture without a lengthy questionnaire process. - **Auditor collaboration**: Auditors get direct, read-only access to evidence inside Vanta rather than emailed spreadsheets, which can shorten audit timelines. - **AI-assisted question answering**: Uses AI to draft responses to security questionnaires by pulling from a company's existing policy and evidence library.

## Who It's For

Vanta is aimed at startups and mid-sized companies that need to earn a SOC 2 report or similar certification to close enterprise deals, typically B2B SaaS companies selling into security-conscious buyers.

## Practical Tips

- Vanta automates evidence collection, not the underlying security work. - Start with one framework rather than trying to cover every framework at once. - Budget separately for the actual audit — an independent audit firm still has to review the evidence.

## Limitations

Pricing is not published and is negotiated per contract. Vanta does not replace an auditor. Some controls still require manual attestation. Initial setup and mapping custom infrastructure can take real engineering time.