Users can now add end dates when deactivating a test or document. This gives Vanta users more control of test and document dates and the ability to temporarily deactivate or pause a test to fit your organization's needs.
Deactivated tests remain visible on pages like the "Computers" page for auditing and compliance needs, but they are marked as inactive and do not contribute to compliance evaluations. Users can easily reactivate these tests if necessary, ensuring adaptability to evolving organizational and compliance needs.
Scenarios for Test Deactivation
Certain scenarios make deactivating tests in Vanta a practical choice:
Irrelevant Tests: Tests unrelated to your environment or compliance needs, such as those tied to obsolete software or unused frameworks, can be deactivated after consulting with an auditor.
Third-Party Integration Overlap: For example, employee background checks may connect automatically to third-party integrations, in which case careful consideration ensures deactivating Vanta's version does not omit historical evidence.
Accidental Broad Deactivation: Errors in deactivation scope highlight the importance of being precise to prevent unintended impacts.
Temporarily Deactivating a Test
By identifying specific use cases for test deactivation, users can make informed decisions that align with their compliance and operational requirements.
From the left-hand navigation panel, select Tests
From the Tests page, click on the test you would like to pause
From the top right-hand corner, select Snooze monitoring
If you snooze monitoring, Vanta will not notify you about potential misconfigurations that may make you less secure. We recommend doing so only if you have effective controls to monitor this, or if this test does not apply to your company.
From here, select the date you would like monitoring to be re-enabled and provide a reason for pausing.
Select Snooze
The test will be automatically re-enabled on the selected date.
Best Practices for Test Deactivation
Consult Auditors: Seek auditor input before deactivating compliance-related tests to ensure alignment with regulations.
Maintain Visibility: Deactivated tests stay accessible on system pages, supporting audit traceability even when inactive.
Verify Scope: Ensure changes target specific elements or users to avoid unintended disruptions.