How to Manage Data Compliance for YugabyteDB

Introduction

Data security is a major challenge for organizations, with regulatory frameworks like GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and SOX imposing strict compliance requirements. YugabyteDB, a distributed SQL database, offers native security features like audit logging, access control, and encryption. However, ensuring full compliance requires additional measures, such as advanced auditing, dynamic masking, and policy automation.

A recent research study shows that over 60% of organizations struggle to meet compliance due to evolving regulatory demands.

In this guide, we explore YugabyteDB’s built-in compliance features and how third-party solutions like DataSunrise enhance security through centralized compliance management, real-time threat detection, and automated policy enforcement.

Key Compliance Requirements for YugabyteDB

GDPR: Protecting Personal Data

GDPR mandates strict data privacy, encryption, and auditability for EU citizens’ personal data. YugabyteDB provides:

• Basic auditing via PostgreSQL’s pgaudit extension.
• RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) to limit access.
• Encryption at rest and in transit.

However, YugabyteDB lacks automated compliance reporting and granular data masking, which are essential for GDPR.

HIPAA: Securing Health Information

HIPAA requires strict safeguards for Protected Health Information (PHI). YugabyteDB supports HIPAA compliance through:

• AES-256 encryption to protect medical records.
• Audit logging for database activity tracking.
• Access control policies to prevent unauthorized access.

PCI-DSS: Protecting Payment Data

For businesses handling credit card transactions, PCI-DSS compliance is essential. YugabyteDB provides:

• Basic audit logging for transaction monitoring.
• Granular user privileges via RBAC.
• Lack of built-in dynamic masking, which is crucial for PCI compliance.

SOX: Ensuring Financial Transparency

SOX compliance requires detailed audit trails and accountability. YugabyteDB supports SOX through:

• Logging database changes via PostgreSQL-based audit logs.
• Tracking user sessions and permissions.
• No automated SOX compliance reporting, requiring external solutions.

YugabyteDB’s Built-in Compliance Features

1. Audit Logging in YugabyteDB

YugabyteDB supports session-level and object-level audit logging through PostgreSQL’s pgaudit extension and YCQL audit logs.

Enabling YSQL Audit Logging

CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS pgaudit;
SET pgaudit.log = 'ALL';
SET pgaudit.log_parameter = ON;

Enabling YCQL Audit Logging

--ycql_enable_audit_log=true

2. Encryption and Access Control

YugabyteDB secures sensitive data through:

• AES-256 encryption for data at rest.
• TLS encryption for secure data transmission.
• RBAC for controlling user privileges.

Example: Configuring Secure User Roles

CREATE ROLE compliance_officer WITH LOGIN PASSWORD 'SecurePass!';
GRANT SELECT, INSERT ON customers TO compliance_officer;

3. Object-Level and Session Logging

YugabyteDB enables granular logging to track specific table activities.

Enabling Object-Level Logging

SET pgaudit.role = 'auditor';
GRANT SELECT ON customers TO auditor;

Enhancing YugabyteDB Compliance with DataSunrise

While YugabyteDB provides basic compliance tools, DataSunrise enhances security with dynamic data masking, real-time auditing, and advanced compliance management.

1. Dynamic Data Masking

Unlike YugabyteDB, DataSunrise provides real-time, role-based masking to prevent unauthorized data exposure.

Example: Viewing Masked Data in DataSunrise

SELECT credit_card_number FROM customers;

credit_card_number
XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-3456
XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-2345
XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-3201
XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-9876
XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-7788

2. Automated Compliance Policy Enforcement

DataSunrise offers a Centralized Compliance Manager that automates security rules based on regulatory standards.

DataSunrise Compliance Management Setup Window

This ensures consistent security policies across all YugabyteDB environments.

3. Advanced Audit Logging and SIEM Integration

YugabyteDB provides basic audit logs, but DataSunrise enhances monitoring with:

• Automatic threat detection.
• Fine-grained audit rules for specific fields, users, or operations — no DB config changes needed.
• Graphical compliance dashboards for real-time insights.

Conclusion

YugabyteDB provides essential security features like audit logging, encryption, and access control. However, full compliance requires additional tools for dynamic masking, real-time monitoring, and policy automation.

By integrating DataSunrise, organizations can:

• Automate compliance rules based on regulatory standards.
• Enhance security with dynamic data masking.
• Monitor threats in real-time.

To explore how DataSunrise strengthens YugabyteDB security, book an online demo or download the tool.