SOC 2 Consultants

Our SOC 2 consultants can help you become SOC 2 compliant by assessing your current controls, identifying gaps, and providing recommendations for improvement. They can also assist with the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and controls to meet the Trust Services Criteria and prepare your organisation for a SOC 2 audit.

By undergoing a SOC 2 audit, service organisations can demonstrate their commitment to the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of their customers’ data

– American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)

What is SOC 2?

SOC 2 is a set of auditing standards developed by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). SOC 2 audits are designed to assess the controls in place at a service organisation that are relevant to the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of customer data.

SOC 2 audits are conducted by independent auditors who evaluate whether the service organisation’s controls are suitably designed and operating effectively. SOC 2 compliance is important for service organisations that process sensitive customer data, such as financial information, personal data, and intellectual property.

Why is SOC 2 important in the UK?

While SOC 2 originates from America, many UK organisations find they need to be SOC 2 compliant due to client requests. SOC 2 can also work together with ISO 27001, the standard for Information Security, to give you a comprehensive international compliance regime.

SOC 2 compliance is important for several reasons:

  1. Compliance with industry standards: SOC 2 compliance demonstrates that your organisation meets the standards set by the AICPA for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
  2. Competitive advantage: SOC 2 compliance can give you a competitive advantage by demonstrating to customers and partners that you take security and privacy seriously.
  3. Risk management: SOC 2 compliance can help you identify and manage risks associated with data security and privacy.
  4. Regulatory compliance: SOC 2 compliance can help you meet regulatory requirements, such as those set by HIPAA, GLBA, and GDPR.

SOC 2 and Outsourcing

SOC 2 audits are important for service organisations that process sensitive customer data. Many service organisations outsource some or all of their operations to third-party service providers, such as cloud service providers, payment processors, or data centres. Outsourcing can introduce additional risks to a service organisation’s data security and privacy. When outsourcing, it’s important for service organisations to choose service providers that have undergone SOC 2 audits and have received SOC 2 reports. SOC 2 reports provide service organisations with assurance that their service providers have adequate controls in place to protect customer data.

Cloud Services and SOC 2

​​Cloud services have become increasingly popular among organisations due to their scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. However, outsourcing data and applications to cloud service providers can introduce additional risks to data security and privacy. Therefore, it’s important for organisations to ensure that their cloud service providers have adequate controls in place to protect their data.

Many cloud service providers undergo SOC 2 audits to demonstrate that they have adequate controls in place to protect customer data. These audits assess the cloud service provider’s controls in five trust services categories: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.

Trust Services Criteria

  • Security
  • Availability
  • Processing Integrity
  • Confidentiality
  • Privacy

SOC 2 Report

There are five components to a SOC 2 report:

  • Section 1—Auditor’s Report
  • Section 2—Management Assertion
  • Section 3—System Description
  • Section 4—Description of Criteria
  • Section 5—Other Information (optional)

Types of SOC 2 Assessment

The type of SOC 2 assessment you require will often depend on the requirements of your customer. Below are the two types.

SOC 2 Type 1

Point-in-Time Assessment

A SOC 2 Type 1 report evaluates the design and implementation of controls at a specific point in time. It assesses whether the organisation’s systems and processes are designed to meet the relevant trust service criteria.

SOC 2 Type 2

Assessment Covering a Period of Time

A SOC 2 Type 2 report goes beyond the design and implementation of controls. It assesses both the design and operational effectiveness of controls over a period of time, typically covering a minimum of six months. A Type 2 report provides a more comprehensive evaluation of the organisation’s controls.

Our SOC 2 Consulting Services

We offer a range of SOC 2 consulting services to help your organisation achieve and maintain SOC 2 compliance. Our services include:

– Readiness assessment: We can assess your organisation’s readiness for a SOC 2 audit and provide recommendations for remediation.

– Gap analysis: We can conduct a gap analysis to identify areas where your organisation does not meet SOC 2 requirements and provide guidance on remediation.

– Policy and procedure development: We can develop policies and procedures that meet SOC 2 requirements and help you implement them.

– Internal control testing: We can test your internal controls to ensure that they are operating effectively and meet SOC 2 requirements.

– Audit support: We can provide support during your SOC 2 audit, including preparation of audit documentation and assistance with auditor requests.

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