The Trust Services Criteria (TSC) is the security framework used for audits resulting in a SOC 2 or SOC 3 Report. All SOC reports are overseen by AICPA, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, to build trust between service organizations and their clientele.
Organizations that provide software and other services to businesses and individuals must ensure that all data entrusted to them by customers is secure.
All service organizations thrive on providing customers with security assurance across all information technology infrastructure and deliveries—especially regarding clients’ data.
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) oversees several certification programs for service organizations, including those for software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers. If clients are uncertain about the SaaS company’s security measures protecting their data, producing a System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type 2 report provides concrete trust assurance.
Service organizations seek out SOC reports to prove to current and future clients that any data trusted with the service organization is safe. SOC 2 reports, in particular, provide insights into a company’s security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy—the five Trust Services Criteria (TSC) prioritized by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
To help service organizations assure their clients of data safety, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has developed several System and Organization Controls (SOC) audits. There are three variations, but SOC 2 is the most common for evaluating whether a company’s security practices are up to par.
A SOC 2 audit aims to discover if an organization has secure and sufficient procedures and policies to protect vital corporate data. With the emphasis on data privacy these days, companies outsourcing their cloud infrastructure, colocation, data processing, and data hosting can generate a positive buzz if they can pass their SOC 2 audit with flying colors.
The best defense is a potent offense. That’s the thinking behind the “ethical hacking” cybersecurity practice known as penetration testing (pen-testing). To understand which vulnerabilities a cybercriminal could exploit and how, it’s best to test them out yourself — or with the help of an expert service provider. Pen-testing is ideal for ensuring all regulatory requirements are in place, such as those for SOC 2 compliance.
Depending on your business and clientele, you may need to comply with security requirements established by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). The System and Organization Controls (SOC) numbered 1, 2, and 3 apply to service organizations, particularly those that store, process, or come into contact with consumer data.
One of COVID-19’s direct impacts on businesses has been the acceleration toward cloud solutions. Cloud computing and data storage have skyrocketed — in fact, cloud spending increased 37% during the first months of the pandemic. In turn, this means more companies now need to focus on their cloud security practices, especially concerning regulatory compliance requirements. For example, service organizations need to comply with the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) SOC guidelines and SOC cloud security requirements.