Service organizations looking to build out secure IT infrastructure can rely on SOC reports to audit their security controls. Besides strengthening and optimizing your security posture, SOC compliance also provides security assurance to your stakeholders. Read our guide to learn more about SOC reports, especially SOC 2 vs SOC 3, and how they can help you.
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) oversees several audit protocols to ensure trust in organizations. Many of these concern financial operations exclusively; others touch on information technology and cybersecurity components. Two of AICPA’s most widely applicable assessments are SOC 2 and SOC for Cybersecurity. Read on for a comparative look at SOC for Cybersecurity vs SOC 2 to determine if one or both may be apt for your organization.
Service organizations that outsource certain services must protect stakeholder information from cybersecurity risks. One of the best methods to demonstrate your ability to do so is adhering to AICPA standards and guidance (commonly assessed via SOC audits). Organizations may wonder which of the standards and assessments best suits their needs: SSAE 16 SOC 1 vs. SOC 2 or other standards? Read on to learn more about the various AICPA attestations.
Why do you need SOC 2 for providing SaaS services? SOC reports and audits can help service organizations assure clients and customers of robust, secure internal controls for managing outsourced services and associated data. Read on to learn how SOC 2 compliance can help you build trust assurance for your clients.
System and Organizations Controls (SOC) reporting comes in multiple varieties, with each kind applying to different industries or intended for different audiences. SOC 2 is primarily aimed at Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers and similar service organizations. Although SOC 2 compliance provides a comprehensive framework for security, data integrity, user privacy, and more, there are some issues that can only be identified with a SOC 2 gap assessment.
SSAE 18 is a set of standards governing service organizations’ security practices. It’s used to identify and manage risks involved in handling consumer data. Many organizations need to showcase compliance with SSAE 18 standards through SOC audit reports. While SSAE 18 Type 2 is often misused to refer to SSAE 18 SOC 2 Type 2 reports, the usage is commonly accepted. SOC 2 reports closely follow guidelines laid out in SSAE 18, especially for service organizations that utilize subcontractors or sub-service organizations.
Overseen by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), SOC 2 evaluates the implementation of effective standards and controls for organizations outside the financial sector, including software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers. Since the SOC 2 certification validity period only lasts for a limited amount of time, those pursuing certification on a long-term basis will need to dedicate themselves to learning and maintaining these rules.
All SOC 2 attestations are audits using the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA’s) System and Organization Controls (SOC) frameworks. Any organization considering SOC compliance must choose between various SOC levels (i.e., SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3) and the Types of SOC audits (i.e., Type 1 or Type 2). Read on to learn what differentiates a SOC 2 Type 1 attestation and SOC 2 Type 2 attestation and which is best for your organization.
Organizations looking to build trust among current and potential clients have a host of tools available to them—but one of the most effective is a SOC 2 audit. SOC 2 is an assessment framework overseen by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The SOC 2 audit is a robust evaluation process, whether Type 1 (short-term) or Type 2 (long-term). So, to guarantee success, organizations should turn to a SOC 2 implementation guide—like this one.
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) publishes various audit and reporting guides designed to keep companies and their stakeholders safe. One that applies to most service organizations, including but not limited to cloud computing providers, is the SOC 2 framework. So, why is SOC 2 compliance important? Read on to learn why it matters, how it helps cloud organizations specifically, and how its criteria can help all companies.