January 2023, HITRUST releases the HITRUST CSF v11. This latest upgrade comes with a series of changes that are said to both increase effectiveness while reducing certification efforts by 45% from its predecessor CSF v9.6. The reduction in efforts toward HITRUST Certification through greater efficiency is because of improved control mappings and precision of specifications afforded through CSF v11.  

To achieve these added efficiencies, CSF v11 introduces a threat-adaptive portfolio of assessments which moves the r2 baseline to the i1 requirements and includes i1 requirements as ‘Core’ on an r2 assessment. These overlaps in requirements enable organizations to use work completed on lower assessments towards more robust ones in the future.  

CSFv11 also welcomes the addition of a cybersecurity essentials assessment and the i1 Rapid Assessment to the list of HITRUST services. Here is everything you need to know about the new CSF v11, along with its new assessments and guidelines for Third Party Risk Management (TPRM).  

The new essentials, 1-year (e1) assessment  

This new assessment is designed to enable low risk organizations of any size to assess the general cyber hygiene of their operations against new and emerging threats and demonstrate the implementation of any necessary controls. The e1 assessment certification carries 44 Curated Requirements from the HITRUST CSF and is good for one year and annual renewal. Organizations may obtain certification after completing the e1 assessment and necessary conditions are met.  

This new assessment includes:  

• A readiness self-assessment   
• Controls and mitigations designed to defend against new and emerging threats  
• Notifications for assessed entities of relevant changes in control guidance and mitigations to evaluate the current effectiveness of specific control implementations  
• A streamlined assurance program that minimizes the burden on assessed organizations   
• The ability to electronically distribute results as opposed to requiring a PDF report   

To maintain an adaptive set of controls for this framework, HITRUST will leverage its Cyber Threat-Adaptive Approach that frequently evaluates current Indicators of Attack (IoA) and Indicators of Compromise (IoC) against the controls currently in place.  

Updates to the i1 assessment CSF v11  

In addition to the new e1 Assessment, HITRUST announced a new version of the i1 Assessment, which includes a new i1 Rapid Assessment.  

The updated i1 Assessment under v11 will replace the existing i1 Assessment under v9.6 and will now include around 170 to 190 required control statements. This comes as a reduction in requirement statements from the existing i1 Assessment, which had 219 requirement statements.   

HITRUST explains the reasoning for this reduction comes from a refreshing of source mappings and from a better understanding of the current threat climate, allowing a more streamlined set of requirements that maintain a high level of security.  

The new i1 Assessment under v11 will have a Rapid Assessment option which provides an accelerated means for recertification by demonstrating your control environment has not materially degraded. Control degradation is defined by HITRUST as issues in the performance of a controlled operation of a control that exists when performing a rapid certification that was not present during the initial i1 assessment a year ago. Should any controls come back as degraded, you have options:  

• For two or fewer below passing scores, you are allowed to renew and not deemed degraded  
• For three or four below passing scores, you may expand your sample of requirement statements to try again or convert your rapid to a full i1 assessment   
• For five or more below passing scores, you will need to convert your rapid assessment into a full i1 assessment.  

This new i1 rapid assessment option can only be used every other year. After being used for one year, the organization will need to complete a full i1 assessment.   

To be eligible for an i1 Rapid Assessment, organizations:  

• Must hold an i1 certification using CSF v11 or later the previous year  
• Must assess the same scope as their last assessment  
• Must have no critical change in any security infrastructure from their last assessment  

New third-party risk management quick-start guidelines in CSF v11  

The latest changes to the HITRUST Third-Party Risk Management guidelines are meant to simplify the assurance process for third parties and those who rely on them. The Quick-Start Guide helps organizations implement the information security-related components of a comprehensive third-party risk management program. It is designed to:  

• Streamline usage of the HITRUST TPRM Methodology  
• Distill the broader methodology into clear actionable steps  
• Provide clear guidance on computing inherent risk, classifying vendors, and selecting the appropriate level of third-party assurance  
• Summarize alternative approaches to satisfy requirements and associated risks   
• Provide links to reference material for continuous education  

You can learn more about the HITRUST TPRM here.  

HITRUST legacy CSF version sunsetting timeline  

HITRUST also plans to sunset older versions of CSF Assessments in the coming years. Here is what to expect.  

For older r2 Assessments:  

• September 30^th, 2023: The ability to create a new v9.1 – v9.4 r2 Assessment will be disabled.   
• December 31st, 2024: The ability to submit v9.1 – v9.4 Assessment objects will be disabled.  
• March 31^st, 2026: CSF v9.1 – v9.4 libraries will be removed from MyCSF. Note that CSF versions 9.5 and 9.6 will remain available in the CSF libraries.  

i1 Assessments will transition to v11 :

• March 31, 2023: The ability to create a new v9.6.2 i1 Assessment objects will be disabled  
• June 30^th, 2023: The ability to submit v9.6.2 and earlier i1 Assessment objects will be disabled.   

Proper planning = HITRUST success  

With the constant changes to the digital threat landscape and the evolving HITRUST CSF updates, A-LIGN knows HITRUST certification better than anyone. As one of the top HITRUST assessors in the world, we’ve helped more than three hundred clients successfully achieve HITRUST certification.  From readiness to certification, A-LIGN can ensure your organization achieves HITRUST success. Get in touch today.   

Download our HITRUST checklist now!

HITRUST is a standards organization focused on security, privacy and risk management. The organization developed the HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF) to provide healthcare organizations with a comprehensive security and privacy program. This program was specifically designed to help organizations manage compliance and reduce risk.  

Although the HITRUST CSF has been around for more than a decade, many organizations still struggle with knowing if it’s the right certification for them.  

Here’s what you need to know before your organization decides to complete a HITRUST assessment.   

What is the HITRUST CSF?  

The HITRUST CSF is a comprehensive, flexible, and certifiable security and privacy framework used by organizations across multiple industries to efficiently approach regulatory compliance and risk management.  

This standard provides customers with confidence in knowing their data and confidential information are secure.  

HITRUST vs. HIPAA: What’s the difference?   

While HITRUST and HIPAA may seem similar on the surface, it would be inaccurate to truly pit the two of them against each other.   

HITRUST CSF is a certifiable security and privacy framework with a list of prescriptive controls/requirements that can be used to demonstrate HIPAA compliance. 

HIPAA, or the Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a U.S. law that details a set of safeguards that covered entities and business associates must follow to protect health information.   

However, a more productive question to ask is “What is the best method for demonstrating HIPAA compliance within my organization?”    

If you’d like to learn more about why you might choose the HITRUST CSF as a means to achieve HIPAA compliance, check out our blog post explaining the benefits of this approach.   

Who must comply with HITRUST CSF? 

The HITRUST CSF was originally designed specifically for the healthcare industry. However, in 2019, HITRUST made the CSF industry agnostic, enabling organizations in any industry to pursue the certification.     

HITRUST Certification is not mandated by the Federal government but is considered to be the most comprehensive framework because of its mapping to many other standards, including HIPAA, SOC 2, NIST, ISO 27001 and  more. 

What are the benefits of HITRUST?   

Many organizations choose to undergo a HITRUST assessment because of how the CSF:  

• Satisfies regulatory requirements mandated by third-party organizations and laws   
• Accelerates revenue and market growth by differentiating your business from the competition  
• Saves your organization time and money by leveraging a solid and scalable framework that includes multiple regulatory standards   
• Unifies over 40 different regulatory requirements and recognized frameworks (such as ISO 27001, NIST SP 800-53, HIPAA, PCI DSS, etc.)  

What are the types of assessments?  

There are three types of HITRUST CSF Validated Assessments, each with its benefits. They are as follows:  

HITRUST CSF e1 Assessment, HITRUST CSF i1 Assessment and HITRUST CSF r2 Assessment. The e1 Assessment is a new Assessment type that HITRUST released January 2023.  

HITRUST CSF e1 Assessment 

The e1 is the cybersecurity essentials assessment with 44 control requirements and is meant for low-risk organizations that want to ensure they are maintaining good cybersecurity hygiene. It will provide a low level of assurance but can serve as a stepping stone for more robust HITRUST certifications like the i1 and the r2.  

More details on this new product can be found in our recent blog post.   

HITRUST CSF Implemented, 1-year (i1) Assessment   

The i1 Assessment  focuses on leading security practices with a more rigorous approach to evaluation than other existing assessments in the marketplace.   

The i1 Assessment provides moderate assurance. Although meeting all requirements of an i1 Assessment will lead to a 1-year certification, it does not have coverage for the 40+ regulatory factors in the HITRUST CSF.  

HITRUST made changes to the i1 Assessment as of January 2023. The new i1 Assessment is based on the new CSF v11 (also released January 2023) and has fewer controls than the current i1 Assessment. There are 182 control requirements in the new i1 Assessment vs. 219 in the previous version. Also, once the HITRUST i1 certification is obtained, the organization would have the option of doing an i1 rapid recertification in year 2 instead of an i1 full certification, if requirements are met.  More details on the new i1 Assessment and the rapid recertification option can be found in our recent blog post. 

HITRUST CSF Risk-based, 2-year (r2) Assessment  

Formerly known just as the CSF Validated Assessment, the r2 Assessment focuses on a comprehensive risk-based specification of controls. It also takes a very rigorous approach to evaluation, which is suitable for the high assurance requirement. This certification is issued for two years, and  an Interim Assessment must be completed at the one-year mark.   

Although this assessment provides the highest assurance level certified by HITRUST, the completion process is costly and requires a high level of effort and resources.  

If you’d like to learn more about the key differences between HITRUST i1 and HITRUST r2, read our blog post to learn about which assessment is best for your organization.  

What is the HITRUST assessment process?   

The HITRUST Assessment process is composed of five steps:  

• Step 1: Define Scope. During this stage, an organization either works with a third-party assessor or an internal subject matter expert to define scope and determine what type of HITRUST assessment to undergo.  
• Step 2: Obtain Access to MyCSF portal. The organization (the entity being assessed) contacts HITRUST to get access to the MyCSF portal. After receiving access, the organization should create its assessment object and engage an approved third-party assessor firm.   
• Step 3: Complete a Readiness Assessment/Gap-Assessment. The assessor performs appropriate tests to understand the organization’s environment and flow of data between systems, and then documents any possible gaps. The gap assessment also ranks gaps in your organization by risk level, allowing you to remediate any gaps before the validated assessment.  
• Step 4: Validated Assessment Testing. During the validated assessment (either the e1, i1 or r2 Assessment) testing phase, assessors review and validate the client scores, then submit the final assessment to HITRUST for approval. HITRUST will then decide whether to approve or deny your organization certification. The HITRUST QA stage in the process (before issuing the certification) can take anywhere from four to ten weeks, depending on the assessment and the assessors’ level of responsiveness.  
• Step 5: Interim Assessment Testing. If certification is obtained as part of the r2 Assessment, an interim assessment is required to be conducted at the one-year mark  to maintain certification. It is important to note that an interim assessment is not required if certification was obtained via the e1 or i1 Assessment.  

To view a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to the HITRUST CSF Assessment process, download our HITRUST CSF Companion Guide.    

What are the HITRUST policies and procedures?   

The biggest challenge many organizations face in obtaining a HITRUST CSF Certification is establishing policies and procedures that satisfy the HITRUST requirements. This is more  challenging for r2 Assessments. It is important to note that some policies and procedures are still required to be tested in an e1 and i1 Assessment, even though the tests performed will be less rigorous than for the r2 Assessment.  

HITRUST policies and procedures must be created, documented, and in place for at least 60 days prior to the validated assessment to achieve full compliance. Policies are established guidelines and rules an organization and its employees must follow to achieve a specific goal, whereas procedures are the documented steps for the organization to meet the defined policies.  

For a full description of the specific policies and procedures  to obtain HITRUST CSF certification, read our blog post on the subject.  

Which policies and procedures does my organization need to document? 

The HITRUST CSF is a flexible and scalable security framework that is adapted to each organization’s compliance needs so the policies and procedures required will depend on your scope. 

You must have policies and procedures in place that address at least 19 HITRUST control domains. Your organization must receive a maturity score of at least “3” (on a scale from 1-5) for each control domain to earn HITRUST r2 certification. The HITRUST CSF control domains are: 

Why is it important to choose HITRUST-compliant vendors and partners?  

After receiving a HITRUST CSF Certification, continue managing risk by assessing exposure from third-party business partners.    

With cybersecurity compliance constantly evolving as new threats emerge, it doesn’t matter how great the security is if third-party vendors do not also have great security creating a risk exposure vector to your organization.   

In fact, many large healthcare corporations, including Anthem, Health Care Services Corporation (HCSC), Highmark, Humana, and UnitedHealth Group sent a memo to most of their downstream vendors to achieve HITRUST Certification. This was enacted to ensure the safe handling of all sensitive information.       

When selecting vendors, be sure to perform a risk assessment to confirm they have a risk mitigation strategy in place. This is the first step to ensure that they can protect the data that might be shared with them. Requesting a security compliance report, like a HITRUST Validated Assessment, SOC 2, PCI DSS, or NIST 800-53, among others, is a good approach to meet this objective.       

For more on how to properly vet HITRUST-compliant vendors, read our blog on the topic.  

Can HITRUST certification satisfy other requirements?  

In short, yes. HITRUST CSF Certification draws from several major pre-existing frameworks to provide a complete, certifiable security standard. The nature of this foundation may simplify the steps an organization needs to take to satisfy other requirements.  

Three major requirements HITRUST CSF Certification can help satisfy include SOC 2, ISO 27001/NIST 800-53 and FedRAMP.  

HITRUST and SOC 2 

A SOC 2 report describes the internal controls at a service organization, providing users with management assertions, a description of both the system and the controls, tests and the results of the tests, and the independent service auditor’s report. Service organizations that provide services to other business entities commonly use SOC 2 reports.    

HITRUST and the AICPA have developed a collaborative approach that aligns the AICPA’s Trust Services Criteria with the HITRUST CSF criteria. This converged reporting model makes HITRUST and SOC 2 complimentary services.     

HITRUST and ISO 27001/NIST 800-53   

The foundations of HITRUST CSF were actually built upon ISO 27001 and NIST SP 800-53. However, ISO 27001 is not control-compliance based, and is instead a management/process model for the Information Management System that is assessed.   

Unlike HITRUST CSF, NIST 800-53 does not address the specific needs within the healthcare industry. This means that while ISO 27001 and NIST 800-53 are both beneficial frameworks to demonstrate cybersecurity standards, they are not as comprehensive as HITRUST CSF.    

Fortunately, HITRUST Certification covers many more factors than ISO 27001 and NIST 800-53, making both assessments easier to attain after being HITRUST CSF Certified.   

HITRUST and FedRAMP   

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a certification that serves to raise confidence in the security of cloud service providers (CSPs) utilized by the Federal government.     

 FedRAMP requirements can be easily mapped to the HITRUST CSF framework. Organizations interested in pursuing FedRAMP certification should consider adding it to their HITRUST assessment. This provides a FedRAMP benchmark and reveals areas to mature, but  is not the equivalent of achieving FedRAMP Certification.    

For a complete list of requirements that HITRUST CSF Certification can assist with, read more here.   

Get started with HITRUST Certification 

HITRUST Certification may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many steps organizations can take ahead of time to streamline the process.   

The best way to set yourself up for a successful HITRUST Assessment is to make the time and resource investment upfront. This means hiring an external assessor firm that understands your business and industry, and has proven HITRUST Certification success. Thoroughly scope the project with your assessor to understand everything needed for the project.   

For more on the do’s and don’ts of beginning your HITRUST journey, check out this blog post.    

How long is HITRUST Certification valid? 

The HITRUST e1 and i1 certifications are valid for one year while the r2 certification is valid for two years if the Interim Assessment is completed successfully and timely.  

Note that the HITRUST certifications should be treated as a continuous improvement and monitoring assessment and not a static once and done type of assessment. And this is because the threat landscape is always evolving and so the HITRUST CSF. 

How much does HITRUST cost? 

HITRUST Certification greatly varies in price from approximately $40,000-$200,000, depending on the size, risk profile and scope of the assessment. 

The cost will be determined by the number of controls tested and the scope of the environment.  

Note that self-assessments are much less expensive but do not carry the same level of assurance because the process does not involve a third-party assessor. 

What’s an example of HITRUST Certification in the real world?  

Below are customer case studies in which the organization earned HITRUST Compliance to drive revenue, build customer trust and better their security posture.  

• Sandata Achieves CMS Certification with HITRUST 
• Solara Health Partners with A-LIGN to Earn SOC 2 and HIPAA Compliance 

What’s the history of HITRUST CSF? 

HITRUST was founded in 2007 to make information security a focus of the healthcare industry. HITRUST has now moved beyond healthcare and is a widely adopted, industry-agnostic framework. 

Start your HITRUST journey  

With more than 400 successful HITRUST Assessments completed, A-LIGN’s team of HITRUST experts is here to answer any question you might have through every step of the process by responding to all inquiries within 24 hours. With A-LIGN, you’re on the right path to HITRUST Certification success.   

Speak with an expert at A-LIGN today! 

The world of compliance is one of numerous assessments and certifications, each varying in scope and effort depending on the industry they serve and the level of security. Figuring out which one is right for your organization can effectively and efficiently bolster your security posture and improve your competitive edge.  

On the flip side, spending time and effort on the wrong assessment can unnecessarily exhaust your organization’s resources.  

Between SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, Federal compliance, HIPAA, and HITRUST, there are numerous factors to consider, such as timelines and organizational benefits. To help you make the right decision when choosing your next compliance initiative, our compliance experts put together a quick guide of the most common assessments, including their scope, timeline, and potential prerequisites.  

This article draws from the compliance Crosswalk Podcast, where A-LIGN’s practice leads for multiple compliance service lines shared their thoughts on which compliance assessments might be right for organizations of various types. They discuss the specifics in each of their areas including timelines, prerequisites, and common misconceptions, as well as how to identify which compliance assessments will best suit your organization’s needs. Listen here. 

ISO 

What is ISO 27001/27701? 

ISO is an international standard that helps organizations manage the security of information assets. It provides a management framework for implementing an Information Security Management System (ISMS). ISO is meant to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all data that passes through the company. ISO 27701 is an additional assessment that can be added to ISO 27001 focusing on Privacy.  

Who is ISO 27001 for? 

ISO certification is excellent for any organization that is interested in doing business internationally. In addition, as a risk-driven standard, ISO 27001 is an excellent assessment for any organization focused on the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the data in your environment.  

What prerequisites are there to complete an ISO 27001/27701? 

Both ISO 27001 and 27701 have little-to-no barriers to entry. The standard itself is very similar whether you’re a small business or a large company. Aside from initial project scoping, there are no prerequisites. 

How long does it take to complete an ISO 27001/27701? 

ISO 27001 can take three to four months from start to finish and varies by organization since it isn’t’ a checkbox audit, but rather a discussion-based audit. The process is broken up into two stages.  

The first stage on average takes around six weeks and includes a review of your company’s documentation to confirm it follows the ISO 27001 standard.  

Stage two can take four to eight months depending on the size of your organization and consists of interviews, an inspection of documented evidence, and process observation aimed at testing these controls and confirming your organization’s compliance. Following stage two is a round of remediations, which may vary in time depending on your specific audit.  

Why ISO 27001/27701 valuable to your organization? 

Being an international standard means your ISO Certification will be recognized by organizations throughout multiple markets outside around the world. You don’t need to have international operations to obtain this certification, making obtaining an ISO certification a great way to enter new markets.  

PCI DSS 

What is PCI DSS? 

PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a widely accepted Industry enforced and run standard consisting of a set of policies and procedures intended for organizations that handle credit, debit, and cash card transactions to ensure the protection of cardholders’ personal information. 

Who is PCI DSS for? 

PCI DSS is for companies that handle sensitive credit card data. PCI DSS can also apply to companies that provide services within Card Data Environments (CDE). If you affect the security of a CDE or a client CDE, then you can be brought into scope for a PCI DSS assessment.  

How long does it take to complete a PCI DSS assessment?  

The preparation phase can take about six to eight months for those undergoing the assessment for the first time, and around three to four months on average for a renewal assessment. The amount of time it takes to complete the assessment ultimately varies depending on the organization’s environment, what its processes are, and what its infrastructure looks like.  

Entities that are very large are continuously prepping. As soon as one audit ends, they’re prepping for the next year, making PCI DSS a continual process for them. Whereas smaller entities may have less of a lift to continually maintain those processes. 

Why is PCI DSS valuable to your organization?  

Obtaining a PCI DSS Report on Compliance (ROC) and Attestation of Compliance (AOC) demonstrates your organization’s commitment to payment card data security and identifies the level of validation you have achieved. Failing to maintain PCI DSS compliance can range in fines from $5,000 to $100,000 per month depending on the size of the company and the scope of noncompliance. 

Penetration Testing & Vulnerability Scans 

What is Penetration Testing & Vulnerability Scans? 

Vulnerability Scans are automated exercises that identify known vulnerabilities in your network devices, hosts, and systems. These scans offer a quick snapshot of potential weak points in an organization that an attacker could potentially leverage in an attack. There are multiple types of Vulnerability Scans including Quick, Full, and Compliance scans. These scans can also be performed at a point in time or single, monthly or quarterly. 

Penetration Tests are manual exercises that evaluate the effectiveness of your organization’s cyber defenses by attempting to exploit discoverable vulnerabilities utilizing the same tools and techniques hackers use. Pen Tests can include mobile and web apps, networks, wireless, and social engineering (phishing email, vishing phone, physical entry). These assessments are often used as part of SOC 2, PCI DSS, FedRAMP, and more.  

Why is a Penetration Test valuable to your organization?  

Both a penetration test and a vulnerability scans are with compliance frameworks such as SOC 2 or PCI DSS in mind. If you’re undergoing a compliance audit, there’s a high chance that you need a pen test. Even if you’re not completing an audit, a pen test is a very important exercise to perform as it allows you to better understand what your potential threat surface may be. A penetration test will also help identify frameworks and components in use across the organization that may be outdated, such as third-party libraries in mobile and web applications. This can help organizations stay up to date and shift to new frameworks and libraries with long-term support. Results from a penetration test can be used to understand if an organization has effective detection capabilities across systems and hosts, and where gaps may exist. 

HITRUST 

What is HITRUST? 

HITRUST Alliance is a private company founded in 2007 that offers the HITRUST Common Security Framework (HITRUST CSF). By pulling from major pre-existing frameworks, and working with organizations to better understand their needs, HITRUST provides a complete, certifiable security and privacy standard. This standard gives customers confidence that their data and confidential information is secure. 

Who is HITRUST for? 

HITRUST CSF is a security framework that provides a comprehensive approach to HIPAA compliance and enables organizations to cover both security and compliance components of HIPAA and is tailored to the requirements of their specific industry.  For these reasons, many healthcare organizations and those working with healthcare companies undergo a HITRUST certification. Since HITRUST is based on many pre-existing frameworks, some organizations outside of the healthcare industry also find HITRUST as a helpful assessment to ensure they are meeting security and privacy standards. 

How long does a HITRUST Assessment take? 

HITRUST typically takes six to eighteen months, depending on the scope of the project and the preparation required. 

Why is HITRUST valuable for your organization? 

Achieving HITRUST Certification satisfies regulatory requirements mandated by third-party organizations and laws, in addition to helping your organization differentiate from the competition, resulting in increased revenue and market growth. In addition to the added revenue, HITRUST Certification saves time and money by leveraging a solid and scalable framework that includes multiple regulatory standards. 

SOC 

What’s the Difference Between SOC 1, SOC2, & SOC 3? 

SOC stands for System and Organization Controls and is one of the most sought-after security assessments in the US market. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) organization is the governing body of the SOC framework. There are three kinds of SOC assessments: SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3. 

SOC 1 assesses your organization’s controls that have the ability to impact the financial statements of your end users. This includes business process controls based on the organization’s services, as well as information technology general controls that support the overall security of the system. 

 A SOC 2 audit examines your organization’s controls that are in place to protect and secure it’s the system and services used by customers or partners. The security posture of your organization is assessed based on the requirements within a SOC 2 examination, known as the Trust Services Criteria (TSC).   

A SOC 3 is a general-use version of a SOC 2. A SOC 2 may contain sensitive details about an organization’s system, including details about your people, processes, and technology that should not be shared with the general public. Obtaining a SOC 3 allows you to share your report without any sensitive information included. 

Who is SOC for? 

SOC 1: Because a SOC 1 deals with organizations that provide services that can impact the financial statements of their user entities or their clients, not all organizations need a SOC 1 but anyone who wants one can typically get one. 

SOC 2: Any organization that can affect another company’s information security can and is encouraged to obtain a SOC 2 report. This makes it the most common compliance assessment in the United States and is gaining traction in other markets around the world. 

Why SOC 2 is valuable to your organization? 

SOC 2 has become the unofficial baseline for security compliance in the United States. Having a SOC 2 report enables your organization to demonstrate its dedication to security, builds trust with current and future customers, and opens up an array of business opportunities.   

Federal  

What is Federal Compliance?  

The Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) of 2014 says every federal agency must have a formal cyber security program that includes a risk management review of a system before it’s used for the government, whether the government owns it or they’re contracting that service from someone else. From this, all federal assessment and authorization frameworks are created by the National Institute Standard of Technology (NIST), the federal agency was tasked with providing general guidance on federal cybersecurity. From NIST, we get a series of different assessment and authorization frameworks for different government agencies and covering various services including NIST 800-171, FedRAMP, CMMC and more. These frameworks are also adopted and modified for State and Local government agencies, for example, StateRAMP. 

Are there any prerequisites for Federal Compliance?  

Federal compliance authorization assessments typically require a federal or other government agency to sponsor your organization’s system offering. If you don’t have an agency that’s sponsoring you through a federal assessment and authorization program, you will most likely not be able to start the assessment. 

What is Risk Management Framework?  

The Risk Management Framework (RMF) is the basis for all federal compliance assessment and authorization programs. RMF is tailorable and specific to each federal agency based on their implementation requirements to meet FISMA. 

What is FedRAMP? 

With the introduction of cloud technology, organizations working with one agency can now have a wide impact across more than any single agency, which led to the creation of the FedRAMP program. FedRAMP is required by any cloud service provider seeking to do business with the Federal Government. Unlike other federal compliance assessments, FedRAMP is a framework that is the same for all agencies within the federal government. A single FedRAMP assessment can be leveraged or reviewed by any Federal agency for them to authorize the use of, or procurement, of that service or product. 

How Long Does FedRAMP Take?  

FedRAMP is very granular, it’s very prescriptive, and it’s very rigorous, making it one of the longest assessment processes. The prep for beginning a FedRAMP assessment can typically take anywhere from six months up to eighteen months. The actual assessment may take anywhere from four to six months. Because of the granularity of the FedRAMP process it’s important to use an experienced assessor who has experience doing many assessments and has the ability to conduct the assessment in the most efficient and effective manner. 

What is StateRAMP 

StateRAMP is the state and local government equivalent of FedRAMP and allows a company offering services to state and local governments to achieve authorization to do business with them. The advantages of going through a StateRAMP assessment are that they allow an organization to conduct business with multiple different state governments using one assessment.  

What is CMMC?  

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certificate (CMMC) is a new compliance developed by the Department of Defense (DoD) to ensure that cybersecurity controls and processes adequately protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) that resides on Defense Industrial Base (DIB) systems and networks. It will be required for any organizations that work with CUI and are interested in conducting business with the DoD.  

Interested in learning more about which compliance assessment is right for you? Get in touch today with one of our compliance experts at [email protected].

There’s a myth in the marketplace that CPA firms cannot provide readiness assessments that has left many questioning what type of organizations are ethically able to provide these services, the value of SOC 2 readiness, and the role CPA firms play in the auditing process.

So, what’s the truth? While the guidelines outlined by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) are intended to maintain an independent point of view by the auditor, they do not limit CPA firms from helping organizations identify gaps and best practices as they are working towards their SOC 2 audit. In the below article, our auditing experts bust three common myths to set the record straight.

MYTH #1
CPA Firms Can’t Provide Readiness Services

Fact: CPA firms absolutely can provide readiness assessment services and are uniquely qualified to identify gaps that may exist.

For organizations preparing their first SOC 2 audit, it is common for the CPA firm to recommend a readiness assessment as a first step. Readiness assessments include identifying gaps within the system and providing industry best practices to remediate those gaps. As a licensed CPA firm, we are uniquely qualified to perform readiness services. We undergo regular peer reviews and independent evaluations to ensure that the strict AICPA guidelines are upheld in all services we provide.

As the #1 issuer of SOC 2 reports in the world, our firm is built on the trust of our clients and we go to great lengths to remain impartial while always having a mind toward the customer.

For the past 13+ years, we have helped thousands of organizations throughout the ENTIRE SOC 2 journey including readiness, audit fieldwork, evidence review, and final report delivery without requiring involvement of third-party vendors. Our experienced team of auditors guide organizations on industry best practices throughout the audit, while upholding A-LIGN’s professional and ethical values.

It’s important to note that software vendors are not peer reviewed, held to any industry standards, or audited by governing bodies.

How A-LIGN Delivers Trust

Our auditors are experts on the standards and ensure we can deliver what is most important to our customers — TRUST. Our firm has undergone four peer reviews mandated by the AICPA and annual audits for The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) and American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). We also submit annual questionnaires for PCI and went through our first CMMC audit. A-LIGN holds several designations, including:

• Licensed CPA firm
• Accredited ISO/IEC 27001:2013, ISO/IEC 27701:2019, and ISO 22301:2019 Certification Body
• HITRUST CSF Assessor Firm
• Accredited FedRAMP 3PAO
• Candidate CMMC C3PAO
• PCI Qualified Security Assessor Company

A-LIGN has delivered more than 5,000 SOC 2 reports for more than 2,500 clients. Our final reports are widely trusted in the marketplace and have a reputation for quality.

MYTH #2
It’s Easier to Use a Software Provider AND an Auditor

Fact: Using a software provider for your SOC 2 Readiness Assessment AND an auditor for your final report creates a disjointed audit process, and in turn, more work for your team.

All SOC 2 audits must be completed by an external auditor from a licensed CPA firm. If you plan to use a software solution to prepare for an audit, it’s helpful to work with a firm who can provide both the readiness software, perform the audit, and produce a reputable SOC 2 report. 

By working with A-LIGN and utilizing A-SCEND throughout your SOC 2 audit process, you’ll have access to your project dashboard to understand your audit in real time. This dashboard allows you to see all of your calls to action, overall progress, items that may be past due, and much more.

To expediate your audit, A-LIGN clients can use the automated evidence collection features of the A-SCEND platform to gather any remaining evidence. As this is a time intensive process, auditing experts highly recommend using a compliance automation software tool to save effort, time and resources.

After your report has been issued, we recommend reviewing A-SCEND’s Crosswalk feature to view how close you are to completing additional compliance assessments. For example, if you have completed a full-scope SOC 2 report with A-SCEND, you’ve also met 90% of HIPAA compliance and 100% of SOC 1 evidence requirements. The Crosswalk feature allows you to benchmark your organization’s compliance against other standard requirements to streamline and consolidate your compliance needs.

MYTH #3
SOC 2 Readiness Assessments Aren’t Necessary in the Audit Process

Fact: SOC 2 readiness assessments can expediate the audit process, saving you time, budget and resources.

Going into your first SOC 2 examination unprepared can be costly to your organization. Identification and remediation of gaps is a critical step in preparing for your audit. Often preparedness activities performed by a non-CPA can provide organizations with a false sense of security with common issues that include incorrect scoping, misleading timelines and failure to understand the intent of the comprehensive requirements.

How can A-LIGN assist? Our automated SOC 2 Readiness Assessment includes a list of questions to answer about your organization’s security posture through our compliance automation software, A-SCEND. Based on your responses, A-SCEND will generate a comprehensive report to gauge your level of readiness. A-LIGN professionals are available to aid in review of the gaps and best practices so that customers can begin remediation.

As a CPA firm, how does A-LIGN maintain independence during the review process? We provide you with best-in-class templates that your organization can use to create any missing policies through our Policy Center in A-SCEND. A-LIGN refrains from making any managerial decisions or actions on behalf of your company, and will not:

• Implement controls on your behalf
• Provide step-by-step direction on how to remediate a control gap
• Write your policies and procedures
• Configure your systems, tools, or applications

Our experts can help you navigate the common issues experienced for organizations that are new to the SOC 2 journey. Our professionals are available to answer your questions that may come up during the readiness assessment.

The Benefits of SOC 2 Readiness Assessments

A-SCEND’s SOC 2 Readiness Assessment minimizes cost and increases productivity, helping your organization become SOC 2 compliant.  Overall, a SOC 2 Readiness Assessment can:

• Make SOC 2 Compliance Easy: With everything you need to prepare for your SOC 2 exam, our readiness assessment lays out the questions in a language you’ll understand with multiple-choice Q&As. 
• Remediate Issues Before Your Exam: Discover any issues or gaps prior to your audit via an easy-to-read readiness assessment report available for download.
• On-Demand, Expert Advice: Our expert auditors answer your questions through the comments function or live auditor assistance.
• Learn from the #1 SOC 2 Report Issuer: Our expert auditors have completed thousands of audits and will provide tips and recommendations to assist throughout the SOC 2 exam.
• Complete SOC 2 Without Switching Auditors: The information from your readiness assessment will directly relate to your Information Request List (IRL) during the audit process. Any evidence you already uploaded will automatically transfer over to your SOC 2 examination.

Better Prepare for Your SOC 2 Examination

A-SCEND’s SOC 2 Readiness Assessment is the only compliance management solution that includes live auditor assistance from a CPA firm. Once you’ve prepared for your SOC 2 examination, there’s no need to find another auditing firm- our professionals can take you from readiness to final report. To learn more about our SOC 2 Readiness Assessment, please complete the form below.

Pursuing a SOC 2 audit brings value to your organization in a number of ways. The in-depth audit provides you with increased insight into your security posture and gives you a better understanding of your opportunities to improve controls and processes. A SOC 2 audit also provides a competitive advantage and boost to your organization’s reputation — customers and prospects can rest assured knowing your organization takes security seriously. 

A SOC 2 audit isn’t just a one-time exercise. The audit must be renewed yearly. Consistently renewing your SOC 2 audit builds continuity with your controls and processes and helps to ensure that everything you put in place continues to function as needed.  

The renewal process may sound time consuming at first, given how in-depth the initial SOC 2 audit process can be for an organization. But renewals don’t have to be a burden.   

Here are some tips and tricks to help navigate the renewal process so you can save time and money, and use internal resources strategically.  

1. Work with the Same Auditor 

If you were happy with your service during the initial SOC 2 audit, work with the same vendor for the renewal process. Working with the same auditor year after year will create efficiencies in the audit process. The vendor will become familiar with your environment and internal processes, and you’ll avoid the time-consuming task of onboarding a new audit firm each year — which can take weeks.  

If the vendor uses compliance automation software to streamline the evidence collection or audit process (like A-SCEND), you may also benefit from rollover features within that technology. Rollover features automatically collect and update information based on what was collected into the system in past efforts. This speeds up the evidence collection process and can condense your renewal timeline greatly.  

2. Consider a Multi-Year Bundle 

Oftentimes auditors will offer a multi-year bundle package, allowing you to pay upfront for a certain number of SOC 2 renewals. It’s a great way to save money in the long run — and plan your budget ahead of time. With a multi-year bundle, you lock into a certain price per renewal. Otherwise, renewal prices may increase year over year as your business scales and the economy changes. 

At A-LIGN, we offer a three-year bundle package for customers. The bundle includes access to our SOC 2 certified experts, as well as use of our compliance automation software, A-SCEND, which streamlines the audit process for your team. With A-SCEND, you’ll have access to automated readiness assessments, automated evidence collection, continuous monitoring, policy center, and more, making your audit process more efficient.  

3. Allocate Internal Resources 

Continuity on the auditor side is great — as is continuity within your organization. It’s helpful to utilize the same internal resources each year (when possible) to manage the SOC 2 audit and renewal process.  

The initial SOC 2 review process requires a lot of heavy lifting. But subsequent years tend to be more efficient because your team has a better understanding of what is required based on the prior year. Each year gets easier and the more consistency you can create within your internal SOC 2 leads, the better.  

Renew Your SOC 2 with A-LIGN 

A-LIGN is the top issuer of SOC 2 reports in the world. We combine industry expertise and a leading compliance automation software platform to make the SOC 2 audit and renewal process seamless for your team.  

Contact us today to speak to a SOC 2 expert about the SOC 2 renewal process and our multi-year bundle options.  

Our 2022 Compliance Benchmark Report detailed how organizations are navigating the current compliance landscape, as well as how they are preparing for the future. By surveying more than 200 cybersecurity, IT, quality assurance, internal audit, finance, and other professionals, we learned how organizations make their compliance programs run smoothly and efficiently, along with where there may be areas for improvement for businesses of all sizes and across all industries.   

Here are five compliance management key takeaways from the 2022 Compliance Benchmark Report that you can use to improve your organization’s compliance program.   

Key Takeaway #1: Develop a Ransomware Preparedness Plan 

Organizations across all industries have concerns about the increased number of cyberattacks worldwide. In fact, a full 83% of survey respondents said they believe they would be impacted by an attack on critical infrastructure. 

The heightened concern for ransomware attacks has caused many organizations to dedicate more time and effort to create a strategy to prevent attacks and reduce the potential damage if — or more likely, when — an attack does occur. Our 2022 Compliance Benchmark Survey found that 40% of organizations are planning to develop a ransomware preparedness plan this year. To learn more about what organizations are doing to prepare for — and prevent — ransomware attacks, read our blog post with additional survey data about this key takeaway.   

Key Takeaway #2: Implement a Zero Trust Architecture 

Zero trust is an IT security model that focuses on restricting information access within an organization to only those who need it. The zero-trust approach is to assume that threat actors are present both inside and outside an organization, meaning no users or machines are trusted by default.  

When it comes to zero-trust adoption, our survey found that 73% of organizations with $50M – $1B in annual revenue agree/strongly agree about the need to adopt a zero trust security strategy. That number dropped significantly to 45% for companies with less than $5M in revenue. Larger companies may believe they are a top target for cybersecurity attacks, causing them to take initiative and further protect their systems and information. 

However, it is essential for all organizations to implement a zero trust architecture. As overhauling a business’ network infrastructure is a very disruptive task, it’s important to troubleshoot possible scenarios that may occur during the implementation process before you begin. To learn more about how to implement zero trust at your organization, read our blog post about the recommended steps to take. 

Key Takeaway #3: Simplify Compliance Audits with an Audit Consolidation Strategy 

Completing multiple security audits is one of the most surefire ways to find gaps in protection. However, with so many worthwhile audits to pursue, it can be difficult to manage multiple workstreams and keep track of varying control elements.  

Audit consolidation — or, conducting audits in tandem as a singular annual event — is a simple way for organizations to maximize both cost and time efficiency. 

One of the biggest findings we uncovered during our research is that even though 85% of organizations conduct more than one audit every year, only 15% of the same organizations have consolidated their audits down to a single, annual event.  

A-LIGN’s compliance automation software, A-SCEND, allows organizations to gain instant viability into their compliance standing and view how close they are to completing additional certifications. A-SCEND’s Crosswalk feature demonstrates how easy it is to deduplicate efforts across multiple certifications by using evidence form your current and/or prior audits.  

Read more about audit consolidation strategies, and how you can strategically manage resources within your business, here. 

Key Takeaway #4: Move from Tactical to Strategic Compliance 

Even with frequent economic turmoil, organizations will continue to prioritize their dedication to cybersecurity, investing in measures that prove an organization’s commitment to cybersecurity.   

Our team found that SOC 2 is the report or certification that helped close the most deals, as it is the most requested report or certification by clients. That may be the reason why 67% of our survey respondents said they were either currently completing a SOC 2 audit or had one scheduled within the next year.  

Compliance audits and attestations continue to be valuable differentiators for organizations looking to attract new customers. Read more about how organizations are using audits and attestations to increase revenue, garner new business, and stand out from the competition.  Key Takeaway #5: Streamline Compliance with Auditor-Assisted Software 

One of the most significant changes we saw in this year’s report was the large increase in the number of organizations using technology to assist compliance efforts. In 2021, only 25% of organizations we surveyed used software to prepare for their audits and assessments. But in 2022, that number skyrocketed to 72%.  

The two main reasons for this dramatic increase are: 

• Increased awareness of compliance-related software. 
• A rise in auditor adoption and advocacy of compliance software. 

Compliance software allows companies to do more with less, streamlining the audit process and helping organizations overcome stressful resource deficits. Get up to speed on how companies are using this technology to assist compliance efforts, and how you can implement auditor-assisted software in future assessments.  

Start the New Year with Proactive Compliance Management 

Our annual compliance benchmark report provides a pulse on compliance and cybersecurity trends across industries and organizations. To see how your organization’s compliance protocols compare to others, fill out our 2023 Compliance Benchmark Survey and keep an eye out for our 2023 report coming in Spring 2023. 

Looking to learn more about how audit consolidation and compliance software will save your organization time, resources and budget? Complete the form below to speak with one of our compliance experts. 

With the cost of cybercrime skyrocketing, now is the time for organizations to enhance their cybersecurity programs. The best way to find gaps in protection comes from completing multiple security audits but it can be cumbersome for organizations to manage multiple audit processes. Enter, audit consolidation!  

By consolidating multiple audits into a single process, organizations save time and resources while increasing efficiency. In our graphic below, our experts breakdown how organizations can best streamline the multiple audit process. 

In 2020, hackers broke into the networks of the Treasury and Commerce departments as part of a months long global cyberespionage campaign. It happened after malware was slipped into a SolarWinds software update — a popular piece of software used by multiple U.S. federal agencies. 

As expected, the incident prompted the Federal government to update its software security requirements. In this blog post, we’ll review the new federal compliance requirements — “Enhancing the Security of the Software Supply Chain through Secure Software Development Practices” — and discuss the impact of this change. 

An explanation of changes 

The updated guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) represents a commitment to furthering the maturity of the Federal government’s approach to supply chain risk management. It builds on other recent initiatives from the Biden administration, including the federal zero trust strategy.  

The guidance represents an attempt to ensure security in open-source software to protect federal data. The OMB memo requires agencies to ensure their software is developed in line with two documents published earlier this year by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST):  

• Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF) 
• Software Supply Chain Security Guidance 

Currently, instead of a third-party audit, agencies only need to obtain a self-attestation from the software producer that the vendor follows the NIST practices. If software vendors don’t meet all of the NIST practices, agencies may accept a “plan of action and milestones” from the vendor outlining how they will update their cybersecurity practices to meet the NIST practices. 

The impact of federal compliance updates 

This guidance impacts software producers who service the Federal government. The guidance must be applied to all software developed in the future, as well as any updates to existing software used by the Federal government.  

As such, we will see a trickle-down effect into federal contracts that procure or use vendor software solutions — especially in the cloud. Contracts will include more stringent cybersecurity protocols to meet the requirements within the memo.  

Areas of concern 

While we applaud the evolution of federal compliance standards and government cybersecurity protocols, we do see two main areas of concern with the new guidance: the software bill of materials, and the acceptance of a self-attestation. 

Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) 

As part of the new requirements, federal agencies have 90 days to inventory all third-party software. After that, agencies must communicate relevant requirements to vendors and collect attestation letters.  

This is easier said than done. Maintaining an accurate and current inventory of software and hardware has always been an issue, especially for enterprise-level organizations. Now, there will be greater scrutiny of this inventory management. We anticipate logistical issues getting this off the ground that could delay the implementation of these new software security requirements.   

Self-Attestation 

The memo allows agencies to accept a self-attestation from software vendors, attesting to the vendor’s adherence to NIST frameworks. Unfortunately, that hasn’t always worked well in the past. 

You may recall that the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) allowed DoD contractors and subcontractors to self-attest to their adherence to NIST SP 800-171. After auditing a handful of contractors, the DoD realized too many deficiencies within these organizations that self-attested to their NIST compliance. To mitigate this issue, the DoD updated DFARS to introduce the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). This included a certification process via CMMC Third Party Assessment Organizations (C3PAOs) that replaced the self-attestations.  

We anticipate similar issues will arise with this new OMB guidance. It’s likely that self-attestation is just an initial step to help get this program off the ground. In the future, these new compliance requirements may eventually roll into an existing federal cybersecurity framework that requires independent validation.  

How to approach federal compliance 

If you are a software vendor servicing the Federal government, you should expect to see more stringent cybersecurity requirements trickle into your government contracts. To prepare — and eliminate the risk of losing your existing government contracts — it’s best to pursue federal assessments and compliance initiatives that attest to your cybersecurity maturity. These may include: 

• NIST 800-171 assessment to evaluate your company’s controls against the published controls of NIST 800-171.  
• FISMA certification to help your company to develop, document, and implement an information security and protection program. 
• CMMC certification (relevant for DoD contracts). 
• FedRAMP authorization. 

A-LIGN can help meet all of your federal compliance needs. Contact our experts today to learn more.

The ongoing increase in cyberattacks has emphasized the importance of cybersecurity and compliance management, especially for startups still gaining market share. As startups work to win new customers, they may have to overcome a prospect’s fears that as an organization so new, they may not have strict security protocols in place to keep their information and data secure. 

Compliance certifications and reports help startups earn customer trust so that customers feel more secure working with small businesses. Bonus- Third-party attestation to the security of your systems makes your startup look much more mature to investors, which means more opportunities for money in your pocket! 

However, compliance authorization and attestation programs can seem overwhelming because of all the pieces organizations need to consider — especially the strain it can place on startups with already-limited resources.  

Compliance for startups doesn’t have to mean spending all of your time and money on compliance initiatives immediately. Take a layered approach to compliance, treating the process like a marathon instead of a sprint, to ensure your organization does not act outside of its means. Here are four important compliance management tasks to complete in order to begin your cybersecurity journey on the best foot: 

1. Determine your risk areas. 

2. Invest in technology, including internal education and security tools. 

3. Establish and test an incident response and business continuity plan. 

4. Select an auditing firm. 

1. Determine Your Risk Areas 

All startups must first take inventory of what they are trying to protect to understand where to focus their compliance and cybersecurity efforts. To determine a company’s most valuable assets, startups should ask themselves:  

• ​​What are the risks across my infrastructure? 
• What’s the likelihood of the risk occurring? 
• What are the implications of that risk?  
• What’s the cost of NOT doing something to address the risk? 

Once these risks are assessed, it’s important to communicate the findings to the entire company. Making sure everyone is on the same page ensures resources are responsibility divided amongst priorities.       

After determining their risk areas, startups can begin pursuing compliance for various standards. Many startups choose to become SOC 2 compliant first, as its strict protocols provide reassurance to potential customers. But there are also other relevant compliance standards for specific individual industries, such as HIPAA for healthcare startups or PCI DSS for startups processing financial/credit card data. 

2. Invest in Technology, Including Internal Education and Security Tools 

Organizations are only as secure as their weakest link, which usually tends to be their people. Educating and training employees should be considered just as important as implementing technical controls to protect information. Internal team members must understand how they can help avoid — or at least reduce — the risk of a cyberattack. 

For startups to establish a secure environment at the most basic level, they should:  

• Ensure each department follows existing policies and is properly using the most updated version of relevant security controls.  
• Ensure all employees are using a VPN if they are not working from a secure office location. 
• Provide security awareness training for employees to ensure they are knowledgeable about current threats and best practices to prevent an event from occurring.  
• Establish a process of multi-factor authentication for all log-ins. 

3. Establish and Test an Incident Response and Business Continuity Plan 

There is no way to completely eliminate the possibility of a cyberattack. This is why it’s so essential for startups to have an incident response plan in place well ahead of time.  

When creating an incident response or a business continuity plan, startups should consider including each of the following steps to maximize the plan’s efficiency:  

• How to assess the technical impact of a breach or incident  
• How to identify compromised data 
• How to determine the organizational impact of a cyberattack 
• Best practices for notifying relevant parties 
• Plans to execute a PR strategy after an incident has occurred 
• Plans to implement third-party monitoring 

There are third-party organizations that can audit your startup’s response plan. Some organizations, like A-LIGN, even offer assessments to see how your response plan would withstand a ransomware attack or major cybersecurity event. These assessments can help you find holes in your frameworks in a non-emergency situation, allowing you time to make revisions. 

4. Select an Auditing Firm 

Once your startup reaches a certain level of compliance and cybersecurity maturity, it’s time to bring in an auditing firm to help you continue on your journey. A firm should be able to act as a trusted partner who can help you navigate the intricacies of the compliance management and security landscape. They can also guide you on which compliance tasks/frameworks make the most sense for your industry. 

Certain federal agencies require the organizations they do business with to obtain specific authorizations, like FedRAMP or StateRAMP. These two authorizations have lengthy auditing processes that can be time consuming for well-established organizations to manage on their own. Startups may have even fewer internal resources. 

A-LIGN will work with you to acquire the proper certifications as needed and will partner with you to ensure your organization continues to properly mitigate risk as it grows.   

Prioritize Compliance Today 

When it comes to compliance management for startups, your organization can start taking a proactive approach to security today — even if you only have limited financial resources.  

A-LIGN is well-versed in meeting the requirements of a broad range of compliance standards and security frameworks including SOC 2, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, GDPR, FISMA, FedRAMP, and NIST-based frameworks. Our advisors and auditors can help guide your startup on its compliance journey and partner with your team to help you meet all compliance needs. 

With the right partner in place, you can start scaling your business. Begin your compliance journey with A-LIGN today.