> 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/cortex-cloud-posture-management/compliance/monitor-and-track-compliance-adherence/use-an-assessment-profile-to-run-compliance-checks-on-your-assets.md).

# Use an assessment profile to run compliance checks on your assets

Create assessment profiles to evaluate selected asset groups against compliance standards.

## What is a compliance assessment profile?

The compliance assessment profiles are configurations that define which standard to run on which asset group. An assessment profile runs scans on asset groups to check whether the assets adhere to a specific standard.

Compliance assessment profiles can be managed from **Posture Management → Compliance → Assessment Profiles.**

## Create a new assessment profile

To create a new assessment profile, select a compliance standard and one or more asset groups you want to run it on.

1. Under **Posture Management → Compliance → Assessment Profiles**, click **Create New Assessment**.
2. Define assessment profile metadata, including:
   * Profile name
   * Description (optional)
   * Optionally schedule generating a report.
     1. Enter one or more report email recipients, clicking `enter` or
     2. Set the cadence for the report generation.
3. Click **Next**.
4. Select a compliance standard to associate with the assessment profile.
5. Select an asset group to run the standard against.
6. Click **Next**.
7. Review the profile details in the **Summary** and click **Create**.\
   \
   The assessment profile evaluates the compliance posture and generates a report at the optionally defined cadence, and sends it to the defined emails.

## Manage existing assessment profiles

Compliance assessment profiles can be managed from **Posture Management → Compliance → Assessment Profiles.** Right click on the profile to disable, edit, or delete an existing profile.

## Configuring assessments for custom compliance standards based on custom cloud security rules

When using custom compliance standards based on custom cloud security rules make sure to create a cloud security policy including your custom rules to ensure accurate assessment results are generated

While a majority of these guidelines reflect standard practices applicable to other use cases, when using custom compliance standards based on custom cloud security rules make sure to create a cloud security policy including your custom rules to ensure accurate assessment results are generated.

The following table describes the components that are necessary to configure custom compliance standards based on custom rules to ensure that the standard will be assessed against a configured scope of assets:

| **Component**                    | **Requirements**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | **Documentation link**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| -------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Custom compliance standard**   | Create a custom compliance standard as usual.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | [Create a custom standard](/cortex-cloud-posture-management/compliance/monitor-and-track-compliance-adherence/choose-compliance-standards-from-the-compliance-catalog/use-a-built-in-or-custom-standard.md#create-a-custom-standard)                          |
| **Custom compliance controls**   | Create custom compliance controls and populate the custom standard with the relevant custom controls.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | [Create a custom control](/cortex-cloud-posture-management/compliance/monitor-and-track-compliance-adherence/choose-compliance-standards-from-the-compliance-catalog/use-a-built-in-or-custom-control.md#create-a-custom-control-to-use-in-a-custom-standard) |
| **Custom cloud security rules**  | Create custom cloud security rules, which implement the detection capabilities necessary to determine the status of the corresponding controls. When creating the rules, make sure to associate them with the relevant custom compliance controls.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | [Create custom cloud security rules](/cortex-cloud-posture-management/rules-and-policies/cloud-security-rules-and-policies/create-and-manage-cloud-security-rules.md)                                                                                         |
| **Asset group**                  | Create an asset group which includes the appropriate scope of assets based on the intended purpose of the custom compliance standard.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | [Create an asset group](/cortex-cloud-posture-management/cloud-inventory-and-environment/asset-groups.md)                                                                                                                                                     |
| **Assessment profile**           | Create an assessment profile for the custom standard using the asset group created above. Configure reporting as desired.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | [Create an assessment profile](/cortex-cloud-posture-management/compliance/monitor-and-track-compliance-adherence/use-an-assessment-profile-to-run-compliance-checks-on-your-assets.md)                                                                       |
| **Custom cloud security policy** | <p>To guarantee accurate assessment results, you must create a custom cloud security policy that incorporates all rules from the custom compliance standard. This is required because custom cloud security rules do not automatically generate findings. When creating the policy, make sure that the policy includes:</p><ul><li>The custom compliance standard as the rule scope.</li><li>The asset group used for the assessment profile as the asset scope.</li></ul> | See below                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |

### Create a cloud security policy with the correct rules and scope

When creating a cloud security policy, make sure it fulfills the requirements listed above.

1. Navigate to **Posture Management** → **Rules & Policies** → **Policies** → **Cloud Security**.
2. Click **Create Policy**.
3. On the **Details** page, provide Policy Name, Description, and Labels (optional).
4. Click **Next**.
5. (Important) On the **Rules** page, select **All Matching Filter Criteria**. Next, select “Compliance Standards”, “Contains”, and then select your custom compliance standard. This ensures that all the cloud security rules from your custom compliance standard are attached to the cloud security policy.\
   ![](https://1107972533-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FHpcayc1yGiwVhvGJ7DK1%2Fuploads%2FQN9VQDMZMFTHhxbfIV6c%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=39ad9ffb-17e7-4070-b367-890681936c7b)
6. Click **Next**.
7. (Important) On the **Scope** page, select **From Asset Groups** and then select the asset group used for the assessment profile:\
   ![](https://1107972533-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FHpcayc1yGiwVhvGJ7DK1%2Fuploads%2FGcvBjvvxo8C7SGeHEoLH%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=d2d654c2-b7da-47e2-9816-334ba6c36560)


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