Preparing Compliance Documentation
Guides the preparation of compliance documentation for CockroachDB Cloud deployments by identifying available certifications, mapping security features to compliance controls, and providing a configuration checklist for compliance readiness. Covers SOC 2 Type II, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR.
When to Use This Skill
- Responding to customer security questionnaires about CockroachDB Cloud
- Preparing for SOC 2, PCI DSS, or HIPAA compliance audits
- Locating CockroachDB Cloud certification documents (SOC 2 reports, PCI AOC, ISO certificates)
- Assessing whether a cluster's configuration meets a specific compliance framework
- Understanding which compliance features are available on each CockroachDB Cloud plan
Prerequisites
- CockroachDB Cloud account — Any plan
- Cloud Console access — For downloading compliance documents
- Understanding of your compliance requirements — Which frameworks apply to your organization
Steps
1. Identify Available Certifications
CockroachDB Cloud maintains the following certifications and attestations:
| Certification | Type | Scope | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOC 2 Type II | Attestation report | Cloud infrastructure and operations | Trust Center or request via support |
| PCI DSS | Certificate of Compliance (AOC) | Payment data processing | Trust Center or request via support |
| ISO 27001 | Certification | Information security management | Trust Center or request via support |
| HIPAA | BAA eligibility | Protected health information | Contact sales for BAA execution |
| GDPR | Compliance | EU personal data protection | DPA available on request |
CockroachDB Cloud Trust Center: The Trust Center is the primary location for downloading compliance documents. Access it via the Cloud Console or request documents through a support ticket.
2. Map Compliance Controls to CockroachDB Features
See compliance matrix reference for a detailed mapping of compliance controls to CockroachDB features.
SOC 2 — Key Controls
| Control Area | CockroachDB Feature | Configuration Required |
|---|---|---|
| Access Control | RBAC, SSO, SCIM | Configure roles, enable SSO |
| Encryption | TLS (always on), CMEK | Enable CMEK on Advanced plan |
| Audit Logging | SQL audit logging, log export | Enable audit logging + log export |
| Network Security | IP allowlists, private endpoints | Configure network restrictions |
| Availability | Multi-region, managed backups | Built-in on all plans |
| Change Management | Cluster versioning, Terraform | Use IaC for cluster management |
PCI DSS — Key Requirements
| Requirement | CockroachDB Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Req 1: Network Security | IP allowlists, private endpoints | Restrict access to cardholder data environment |
| Req 3: Protect Stored Data | Encryption at rest (default), CMEK | CMEK provides key control |
| Req 4: Encrypt Transmission | TLS (always on) | Enforced by default |
| Req 7: Restrict Access | RBAC, least privilege | Use hardening-user-privileges skill |
| Req 8: Identify Users | SQL users, SSO, MFA | Enable SSO with MFA at IdP |
| Req 10: Track Access | Audit logging, log export | Enable and export audit logs |
HIPAA — Key Safeguards
| Safeguard | CockroachDB Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Access Control | RBAC, SSO | Implement least privilege |
| Audit Controls | Audit logging, log export | Export to SIEM |
| Integrity | Checksums, replication | Built-in data integrity |
| Transmission Security | TLS (always on) | Enforced by default |
| Encryption | Encryption at rest, CMEK | CMEK for key control |
HIPAA requirement: A Business Associate Agreement (BAA) must be executed with Cockroach Labs before storing PHI. Contact your account team to execute a BAA.
3. Assess Cluster Configuration for Compliance
Use this checklist to evaluate whether a cluster meets common compliance requirements:
Baseline (All Frameworks)
-- Check password policy
SHOW CLUSTER SETTING server.user_login.min_password_length;
-- Should be >= 12
-- Check admin user count
SELECT COUNT(*) AS admin_count FROM [SHOW GRANTS ON ROLE admin];
-- Should be minimized (1-3)
-- Check audit logging
SHOW CLUSTER SETTING sql.log.admin_audit.enabled;
SHOW CLUSTER SETTING sql.log.user_audit;
-- Should be enabled
-- Check PUBLIC role privileges
SELECT database_name, privilege_type
FROM [SHOW GRANTS FOR public]
WHERE privilege_type NOT IN ('USAGE')
AND schema_name = 'public';
-- Should return no rows for application databases# Check network security
ccloud cluster networking allowlist list <cluster-id> -o json
# Should NOT contain 0.0.0.0/0
# Check SSO configuration (Cloud Console)
# Verify in Cloud Console > Organization Settings > Authentication
# Check CMEK (Advanced plan)
ccloud cluster info <cluster-name> -o json
# Check for cmek_config
# Check log export (Advanced plan)
# Look for log_export_config in cluster info outputAdvanced Compliance (SOC 2 + PCI DSS + HIPAA)
| Check | Command/Location | Expected State |
|---|---|---|
| SSO enabled | Cloud Console | Enabled and enforced |
| SCIM provisioning | Cloud Console | Enabled |
| CMEK enabled | ccloud cluster info | Enabled with valid key |
| Audit logging | SQL: SHOW CLUSTER SETTING sql.log.admin_audit.enabled | true |
| Log export | ccloud cluster info | Configured and ENABLED |
| IP allowlist | ccloud cluster networking allowlist list | No 0.0.0.0/0 |
| Private endpoints | Cloud Console: Networking > Private endpoint | Configured (recommended) |
| Password policy | SQL: min_password_length | >= 12 |
| Admin count | SQL: admin role grants | <= 3 |
| PUBLIC privileges | SQL: SHOW GRANTS FOR public | Minimal |
4. Respond to Security Questionnaires
When responding to customer or auditor questionnaires, reference these standard answers:
Encryption at rest:
- CockroachDB Cloud encrypts all data at rest using AES-256
- CMEK is available on Advanced plan with Advanced Security Add-on for customer-controlled keys
- Key management follows cloud provider best practices (AWS KMS, GCP Cloud KMS, Azure Key Vault)
Encryption in transit:
- TLS 1.2+ is enforced on all connections — cannot be disabled
- Client certificate authentication (mTLS) is supported
Data residency:
- Clusters can be deployed in specific regions to meet data residency requirements
- Multi-region clusters keep data within specified regions
Backup and recovery:
- Managed backups are automatic on all plans
- RPO and RTO depend on plan type and configuration
- Backups are encrypted and stored in the same cloud provider
Incident response:
- Cockroach Labs maintains a documented incident response plan
- Details are available in the SOC 2 Type II report
5. Prepare for Compliance Audits
Before the audit:
- Run the auditing-cloud-cluster-security skill to identify gaps
- Remediate any FAIL findings using the linked remediation skills
- Download current compliance documents from the Trust Center
- Document your CockroachDB Cloud configuration with screenshots or Terraform state
During the audit:
- Provide the SOC 2 Type II report to demonstrate CockroachDB Cloud's controls
- Show your cluster configuration (security audit report) to demonstrate your controls
- Demonstrate audit log export and review capability
- Show RBAC configuration and access control policies
Compliance documents to have ready:
- SOC 2 Type II report (from Trust Center)
- PCI AOC (if processing payment data)
- ISO 27001 certificate (if required)
- BAA (if storing PHI — executed with Cockroach Labs)
- DPA (if processing EU personal data)
- Your security audit report (from auditing-cloud-cluster-security skill)
Safety Considerations
- This skill is read-only. No cluster configuration is modified.
- Compliance documents may be confidential. Handle SOC 2 reports and PCI AOCs according to your organization's information classification policy.
- Compliance is shared responsibility. CockroachDB Cloud provides the platform controls; your organization is responsible for configuring and using them correctly.
References
Skill references:
Related skills:
- auditing-cloud-cluster-security — Automated security posture assessment
- configuring-audit-logging — Enable audit logging for compliance
- enabling-cmek-encryption — Enable customer-managed encryption keys
- configuring-sso-and-scim — Enable SSO and automated provisioning
- hardening-user-privileges — Implement least-privilege access
- enforcing-password-policies — Configure password requirements
- configuring-ip-allowlists — Network access control
- configuring-private-connectivity — Private network endpoints
- configuring-log-export — Export logs for compliance retention
Official CockroachDB Documentation: