SOC 2 best practice: getting to grips with certification

As an auditing procedure, SOC 2 is a security framework designed to help service providers ensure that they are managing data securely, protecting the interests and privacy of their organisation and protecting their customers. For many businesses looking to adopt a new SaaS product, SOC 2 is an essential certification that provides both confidence and peace of mind.

With cybersecurity concerns growing all the time, SOC 2 has never been more relevant. The UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024 reports that half of all businesses have experienced some form of breach or attack in the last twelve months, with big hits against the British Museum and the NHS making headlines.

What is SOC 2?

SOC 2 was first developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants but its applications have expanded far beyond book-keeping software in recent years. SOC 2 outlines criteria for managing customer data, defining five trust service principles. These are:

• Security: network/application firewalls, two-factor authentication, and intrusion detection.

• Availability: performance monitoring, disaster recovery, and security incident handling.

• Processing integrity: quality assurance and processing monitoring.

• Confidentiality: encryption, access controls, and firewalls.

• Privacy: Access control, two-factor authentication, and encryption.

It is worth noting that there is some intentional overlap between these categories. While certifications like PCI DSS possess very rigid requirements, SOC 2 is unique to each organisation. Each SOC 2 report highlights its own controls to comply with one or more of the trust principles.

Internal reports offer vital information about how service providers manage data. Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of SOC report: Type I, which describes a vendor’s systems and whether they meet relevant trust principles; and Type II, which outlines the operational effectiveness of those systems.

Why is SOC 2 compliance important?

SOC 2 compliance isn’t yet a requirement for SaaS and cloud computing vendors, but it’s value is difficult to overstate.

Not only does it help to further secure business data and avoid potentially disastrous cybersecurity incidents, but it also acts as a shorthand for partners, stakeholders, and customers, showcasing an organisation’s commitment to stringent data protection.

With SOC 2 certification, businesses can gain trust, win new clients, stand out from competitors, and of course, reduce the risk of costly data breaches. SOC 2 is quickly becoming a required certification in highly regulated industries.

Achieving SOC 2 certification

In order to gain and maintain SOC 2 certification, an external auditor must be employed to assess an organisation’s compliance with one or more of the five trust principles outlined in SOC 2. They do this by assessing the systems and processes in place across the business.

While each of the trust principles operates as its own important entity, they also work in tandem to make sure data remains protected throughout entire business processes. From Security – and avoiding unauthorised access – to Privacy – protecting the personal identifiable information (PII) of users, every stage is crucial.

SOC 2 compliance with Hicomply

Certification can feel like a mammoth task, but Hicomply makes it simple, offering a simple solution for SOC 2 and other vital accreditations. With Hicomply’s ISMS, you can say goodbye to complex internal processes, poor visibility, accountability gaps, and endless spreadsheets.

From mitigating reports to scoping documents, Hicomply takes the hassle and headaches out of SOC 2 certification, dramatically reducing the time and resources needed. Get real-time updates of SOC 2 requirements, tailored to your organisation, with a single, simple platform that clears the road to certification.

Not currently using Hicomply? Ready to find out more about what the platform can do for you? Book a demo.