SOC 2: Type 1 or Type 2?

More and more customers are asking for demonstrated SOC 2 compliance, and independent cybersecurity control validation and attestation are becoming necessary to compete for high-priority contracts. Beyond customer demand, SOC 2 reports ensure that controls are properly implemented and used within your organization, greatly reducing potential security threats.

For organizations seeking a SOC 2 report, there are two attestation options available: Type 1 and Type 2. What type is best for your organization to prove compliance? Our experienced assessors break down the options so the path to SOC 2 compliance is clear.

What Is a SOC 2 Report?

A SOC 2 report highlights the controls in place that protect and secure an organization’s system or services used by its customers. The scope of a SOC 2 examination extends beyond the systems that have a financial impact, reaching all systems and tools used in support of the organization’s system or services. The security of your environment is based on the requirements within a SOC 2 examination, known as the Trust Services Criteria (TSC). The TSC are based on upon the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and consist of five categories:

• Common Criteria/Security (required)
• Availability (optional)
• Processing Integrity (optional)
• Confidentiality (optional)
• Privacy (optional)

The Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Reports

What Is a Readiness Assessment?

Now that you understand the difference between a Type 1 and Type 2 report, how can you best prepare for your SOC 2 examination? A-SCEND’s SOC 2 Readiness Assessment is designed to make your organization’s SOC 2 project easier through automation so you can assess how prepared you are before the audit begins. Used for internal purposes, this assessment provides your organization with a greater understanding of the demands of a SOC audit. The deliverables include a listing of your current controls, as well as identification of gaps that require remediation prior to the full assessment.

We also recommend completing our SOC Readiness Checklist before undergoing a full SOC 2 assessment to see how close your organization is to reaching its requirements for a SOC 2 audit. 

Evaluate Your Compliance

With our SaaS SOC 2 Readiness Assessment, you not only benefit from getting ready in half the time, but you also gain the support of experienced SOC 2 auditors from the top SOC 2 issuer in the world.