PCI DSS Compliance Automation for Azure and AWS — Built by a PCI QSA Organisation
If you are comparing PCI DSS compliance software for a cloud-hosted cardholder data environment, this page explains what automation can and cannot do, how Complium collects evidence from Azure and AWS without write access, and how it differs from generalist compliance tools and GRC suites.
What PCI DSS Compliance Automation Does, and What It Cannot Do
Automation can
- Collect configuration, identity and logging evidence directly from Azure and AWS, timestamped and traceable
- Map each item of evidence to the PCI DSS v4.0.1 requirement and testing procedure it supports
- Detect missing evidence and configuration gaps before the assessor does
- Track remediation, retests and evidence expiry between annual assessments
- Assemble the Report on Compliance in the PCI SSC template with draft narratives for assessor review
Automation cannot
- Make the compliance determination: that is the assessor's judgment, and PCI SSC AI guidance keeps it that way
- Write your policies, run your training or conduct your risk assessments (Requirement 12)
- Replace penetration testing and segmentation testing (Requirement 11.4)
- Evidence controls that live outside the integrated platforms, such as physical security or third-party service providers
- Turn a badly scoped environment into a compliant one; scope reduction still comes first
Read-Only Integrations, Requirement by Requirement
Each connector reads one family of evidence and maps it to the PCI DSS v4.0.1 requirements it supports. Nothing is written back to your environment.
| Cloud | Service | Evidence collected | Supports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure | Microsoft Entra ID | Users, groups, roles, MFA and Conditional Access posture | Req 7, 8 |
| Azure | Azure Activity Logs | Administrative operations, diagnostic settings, retention | Req 10 |
| Azure | Microsoft Defender for Cloud | Secure-configuration recommendations, vulnerability visibility, regulatory compliance state | Req 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 11 |
| AWS | AWS IAM | Users, roles, policies, MFA and access-key posture | Req 7, 8 |
| AWS | AWS CloudTrail | Management-event audit trails and trail configuration | Req 10 |
| AWS | AWS Security Hub | Aggregated security findings and control status | Req 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 11 |
| AWS | AWS Config | Resource configuration history and rule compliance | Req 2, 6 |
| GCP · Alibaba | Export-based today | Cloud Audit Logs, IAM and Security Command Center exports; ActionTrail, RAM and Security Center exports, uploaded and mapped by the same engine | Native connectors on roadmap |
From Connection to Report on Compliance
Connect, read-only
Grant Complium a scoped, read-only identity in your Azure tenant or AWS account. You can see exactly what it can read, and revoke it whenever you choose.
Collect continuously
Identity, logging and posture evidence is pulled on a schedule, timestamped and stored against the system it came from, so evidence is current at assessment time rather than months old.
Map and detect gaps
AI maps each item to the v4.0.1 requirement and testing procedure it supports, flags missing evidence and highlights configurations that will become findings.
Assess and generate the ROC
Your QSA reviews the evidence in place, records determinations, and generates the Report on Compliance in the PCI SSC template with one click.
Complium Against Generalist Tools and GRC Suites
Generalist compliance-automation products are designed for breadth across SOC 2, ISO 27001 and many other frameworks. GRC suites are designed for enterprise workflow. Complium is designed for one thing: getting a PCI DSS v4.0.1 assessment done.
| Capability | Generalist compliance automation | GRC suite | Complium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built by | Software engineers, reviewed by advisors | Enterprise workflow vendors | A PCI QSA Organisation that performs assessments |
| PCI DSS v4.0.1 depth | One framework among many; SOC 2 and ISO first | Generic control library, customer-mapped | PCI DSS v4.0.1 is the native structure |
| Azure evidence (Entra ID, Activity Logs, Defender) | Varies by vendor and plan | Custom integration work | Read-only connectors, mapped to requirements |
| AWS evidence (IAM, CloudTrail, Security Hub, Config) | Varies by vendor and plan | Custom integration work | Read-only connectors, mapped to requirements |
| Report on Compliance generation | Exports for the assessor to rewrite | Not a PCI SSC template | One-click PCI SSC ROC format |
| Assessor works inside the platform | Auditor portal, separate from your QSA | Not designed for external assessors | QSA reviews evidence and drafts in place |
| AI governance | Vendor-specific | Not assessment-specific | Aligned with PCI SSC AI guidelines (March 2025) |
| Write access to your cloud | Some require remediation permissions | Depends on integration | Zero write permissions, revocable at any time |
Generalist and GRC columns describe product categories, not any single vendor; capabilities vary by product and plan. Verify against the vendor's current documentation.
Observe, Never Modify
Zero write permissions
Every connector requests read permissions only. Complium cannot change a role, a rule or a setting in your environment.
Scoped and revocable
Access is granted through your own tenant or account with the exact permission set visible to you, and can be revoked in Entra ID or IAM at any time.
Assessment data protected
Data encrypted at rest and in transit, file uploads scanned, role-based access with full audit trails, infrastructure monitored by EIC's SOC. No client data is sent to third-party consumer AI services.
PCI DSS Compliance Automation FAQs
See Complium Collect Evidence From Your Own Cloud
A 30-minute demo against a sandbox Azure or AWS account shows exactly what is collected, how it maps to v4.0.1, and what the ROC output looks like.
Explore More
Complium
AI evidence analysis, assessor copilot, real-time dashboards and one-click ROC generation.
PCI DSS in the Cloud
AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Alibaba Cloud compared: shared responsibility, scoping, recurring gaps and evidence.
PCI DSS Compliance Assessment
ROC, AOC and SAQ engagements delivered by a PCI SSC-listed QSA Organisation.
PCI DSS on Azure
Entra ID, segmentation, logging and the Azure gaps QSAs find most often.
PCI DSS on AWS
IAM, CloudTrail, Security Hub and the AWS gaps QSAs find most often.
PCI DSS Penetration Testing
Requirement 11.4 testing and segmentation validation, tracked in Complium with retest evidence.