The SOC 2 Journey
A trusted IT firm handles the most valuable and sensitive assets a company has, its data. How do you know your vendor is using a high standard to protect your data and secure your infrastructure? It’s about “best practices”. It’s about controls. It’s about security standards. It’s about meeting or exceeding nationally [and internationally] recognized security standards through a rigorous compliance alignment and audit process that culminates in a security certification called SOC 2.
SOC 2 certification holds immense importance and significance. It signifies that the firm has successfully implemented robust controls and measures to ensure the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of all compute and storage capabilities. This certification is a testament to a company’s commitment to safeguarding sensitive information, and ensuring its availability, which is of paramount importance in this age of digital transformation.
Obtaining SOC 2 certification is no small feat. It involves a comprehensive auditing process conducted by an independent auditor. The pursuit of this certification requires dedication, time, and resources. The firm must demonstrate a strong understanding of SOC 2 requirements, implement appropriate security measures, and provide evidence of their effectiveness. This can include policies, procedures, system documentation, and evidence of security monitoring and incident response capabilities.
One of the significant challenges in pursuing SOC 2 certification is the high level of teamwork and whole firm buy-in required. It is not a task that can be achieved by a single department or individual. It demands collaboration across different teams and departments, such as IT, Security, Operations, Legal, and Human Resources. Each team plays a crucial role in implementing, monitoring, and maintaining the necessary controls.
Teamwork is essential for developing and implementing security policies and procedures, conducting risk assessments, and ensuring the proper training of employees to adhere to security protocols. Additionally, continuous monitoring and improvement practices are required to maintain SOC 2 compliance over time.
Company-wide commitment is necessary as SOC 2 certification involves not only the technical aspects of security but also the cultural aspects. It requires a focus on security first, with every employee understanding and [willingly] adhering to their responsibilities in maintaining data security. This cultural shift may involve changes to existing practices, employee training programs, and the establishment of a security-conscious culture throughout the organization.
The pursuit of SOC 2 certification is a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. It demonstrates to clients and stakeholders the company’s commitment to data security, availability, and compliance. Additionally, the certification distinguishes a company from its competitors who may not have undergone such rigorous security audits.
This blog series follows CloudSpace on its SOC 2 certification journey. From hiring our first Chief Information Security Officer (Chris Nicolaou) through the gap analysis and on through the organizational changes. The culmination of our journey is the audit process and final SOC 2 certification.
We are a “security first” organization. We use automated systems and organizational standards to maintain our security posture and business continuity strategy. These operational mechanisms are based on intelligent architecture design and our skills, experience, and research. But do we meet the standards of SOC 2. This journey is answering that question and creating a boot camp of sorts to make certain our organization is fit for duty.
Before diving into the details of SOC 2 attestation, it is important to understand its significance in the realm of cybersecurity and business operations. SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2) is a widely recognized auditing standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) that focuses on the controls and processes implemented by service organizations to ensure data security, availability, and privacy.
While many perceive SOC 2 compliance primarily as a cybersecurity measure, it goes beyond that. SOC 2 encompasses the overall business operation and culture of an organization. It is not just about having robust technical measures in place, but also about having a well-established system and culture that prioritize data security and privacy. The saying “the devil is in the details” holds true in the world of SOC 2 attestation. The certification process involves a thorough examination of an organization’s processes, systems, and controls. This includes evaluating policies and procedures, performing risk assessments, analyzing access controls, reviewing incident response plans, and much more. The devil, in this case, refers to the meticulous review of every aspect of an organization’s operations to ensure compliance and effectiveness.
We are finding CloudSpace is in pretty good shape. But there are many details that must be addressed. Through the first month or two our lists kept growing and growing. We had one part, but the policy was not strictly adhered to. Or we were doing something correctly without a documented policy. Other areas were things we knew we needed but didn’t have the time to implement. And still other areas we had policies and procedures, but they weren’t up to the auditable standard.
The SOC 2 criteria consist of five trust service categories: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. While a company can choose which category [or more than one] they wish to pursue for “attestation”, each category has specific requirements that must be met, and the devil lies in the meticulous examination of these requirements. Furthermore, the devil also exists in ensuring that the controls and processes not only meet the requirements on paper but are also effectively implemented and followed throughout the organization (i.e. “culture”).
Achieving SOC 2 certification is not a one-time event but an ongoing commitment to maintaining the required controls and continually improving the organization’s controls. It involves regular assessments, audits, and continuous monitoring to ensure compliance. This constant attention to detail is essential as technology, threats, and business environments evolve rapidly.
By obtaining SOC 2 certification, an organization demonstrates a strong commitment to data security and privacy. It reassures customers and stakeholders that the organization has implemented effective controls, not only within its technology systems but also within its entire business operation and culture.
This effort is changing who we are at CloudSpace. We are becoming a team that establishes and maintains high standards as a part of our culture. We believe we are meeting the high standards of the SOC 2 compliance, but won’t really know until the first audit. Stay tuned.