> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/data-security-documentation/advanced-tools/rules-and-policies.md). # Rules and policies The security posture of your environment is governed through a two-part framework: **Rules** and **Policies**. This separation decouples detection logic from administrative scope, allowing you to apply different security standards to different environments (such as Production vs. Development). You can view and customize rules and policies under **Posture Management > Rules & Policies**. ## Framework Mechanics: Rules vs. Policies Risks are identified only when a detection rule is associated with a scoped policy. * **Cloud Security Rules:** These define the detection logic. A rule specifies the technical criteria for a security violation, such as an unencrypted database, a publicly accessible storage bucket, or an AI model endpoint with insecure configurations. * **Cloud Security Policies:** These define the execution scope. A policy is a container that holds a selection of rules and applies them to specific cloud accounts, regions, or asset groups. **Operational Requirement:** A Rule does not generate an **Issue** on the dashboard until it is added to an active Policy. ## Functional Scope The Rules and Policies interface supports all key capabilities of Cortex Data Security: * **Data (DSPM):** Storage-level misconfigurations, data residency violations, and sensitive data exposure. * **DDR (Data Detection & Response):** Real-time event monitoring for anomalous access or potential exfiltration. * **AI (AI-SPM):** AI pipeline components, model endpoint security, and training dataset protection. * **Data Access Governance (DAG):** Identity-to-data access paths, over-privileged human/machine identities, and net-effective permissions. ## View and Customize Rules and Policies Navigate to **Posture Management > Rules & Policies** to view and manage your rules and policies. {% hint style="info" icon="note-sticky" %} **Note:** For more information, see the [Cloud Security Rules and Policies documentation](/cortex-cloud-runtime-security/rules-and-policies/about-rules-and-policies.md). {% endhint %} --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/data-security-documentation/advanced-tools/rules-and-policies.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.