SOC 2 Compliance for GitHub
GitHub is often the source of truth for your code and deployment workflows. For SOC 2, focus on enforcing peer reviews, securing CI/CD pipelines, and monitoring access logs.
Core GitHub Controls
Branch Protection Rules
Enforce branch protection on all production branches. Require signed commits, peer reviews, and passing status checks before merging code.
Access Management & MFA
Enforce MFA for the entire organization. Use GitHub Teams and Roles (Owner, Member) to follow the principle of least privilege for repository access.
GitHub Actions Security
Secure your CI/CD by using OpenID Connect (OIDC) for cloud authentication (avoiding long-lived secrets) and auditing workflow permissions.
Organization Audit Logs
Use GitHub Audit Logs to track administrative changes, repository access, and membership events. Export logs to your SIEM for compliance retention.
Auditor-Vetted Best Practices
Enable "Secret Scanning" and "Push Protection" to prevent sensitive data (API keys, secrets) from ever reaching your repositories.
Regularly audit third-party GitHub Apps and OAuth integrations for potential security risks and over-privileged access.
Implement "CODEOWNERS" files to ensure the right subject matter experts review changes to sensitive parts of the codebase.
Use GitHub Enterprise for advanced compliance features like custom repository roles and centralized audit log streaming.
Infrastructure-as-Code is Key
The fastest way to achieve SOC 2 on GitHub is to define your entire environment in code. This provides an immutable audit trail that auditors love.
View IaC ChecklistKevin A
Principal Security & GRC Engineer
Kevin is a security engineer turned GRC specialist. He focuses on mapping cloud-native infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP) to modern compliance frameworks, ensuring that security controls are both robust and auditor-ready without slowing down development cycles.
SOC 2 and GitHub FAQs
How does GitHub support SOC 2 compliance?
GitHub provides native security controls (IAM, logging, encryption) that map to SOC 2 Trust Service Criteria. Proper configuration and evidence collection from GitHub can satisfy a significant portion of technical control requirements.
What SOC 2 controls map to GitHub?
Common mappings include: access control (IAM/users and roles), change management (audit logs and deployment pipelines), logical access (MFA and least privilege), and monitoring (logging and alerting). See our implementation guide above for platform-specific control mapping.
How do we collect evidence from GitHub for our audit?
Evidence from GitHub typically includes: configuration exports, access review reports, audit/activity logs, and encryption settings. Compliance automation tools can pull evidence continuously; otherwise, export and store evidence per your auditor's requirements.
Does GitHub integrate with compliance automation (Vanta, Drata)?
Most major cloud and SaaS platforms, including GitHub, offer integrations or APIs used by compliance automation tools. Check your automation provider's integration list and enable the GitHub connector for continuous evidence collection.
About RiscLens
Our mission is to provide transparency and clarity to early-stage technology companies navigating the complexities of SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) compliance.
Who we serve
Built specifically for early-stage and growing technology companies—SaaS, fintech, and healthcare tech—preparing for their first SOC 2 audit or responding to enterprise customer requirements.
What we provide
Clarity before commitment. We help teams understand realistic cost ranges, timeline expectations, and common gaps before they engage auditors or expensive compliance vendors.
Our Boundaries
We do not provide legal advice, audit services, or certifications. Our assessments support internal planning—they are not a substitute for professional compliance guidance.
SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) is a voluntary compliance standard for service organizations, developed by the AICPA, which specifies how organizations should manage customer data based on the Trust Services Criteria: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
Get your personalized SOC 2 cost estimate
Free • No sales calls • Instant results