The Schellman Blog

If you’re considering a SOC 2 audit, be it due to a customer request or to strengthen your security posture, you may already understand that this examination will include an evaluation of your product or service on a more operational and security-oriented level. You may even already grasp that during a SOC 2, your scope will be evaluated against a set of trust services criteria (TSC) that provide the backbone of the assessment. But what are the trust services categories, the criteria that make up each category, and which ones will you actually need for your SOC 2 audit? At Schellman, we have over two decades of experience in SOC 2 examinations, and we want to help you navigate what can be a complex process. Read on to discover what inclusion of each category will mean for your SOC 2 examination. From there, we’ll give you some guidelines for your internal conversations when making your choice. Afterwards, you’ll be that much closer to pinning down what you need from your upcoming SOC 2 report.

If your organization is looking for a way to showcase your commitment to security and compliance to the general public, a SOC 3 report might be the perfect solution. SOC 3 reports offer a high-level summary of your system and controls, tailored for sharing with a broad audience.

Opting for a readiness assessment ahead of your SOC 2 examination is—while optional—a beneficial extra step when seeking compliance. Do you remember taking a practice test while preparing for an exam in school? It allows you to understand your weaknesses before undergoing the actual test. That being said, there are some things you should understand ahead of your readiness assessment that can help enhance your experience.

When pursuing a SOC 2 examination, a popular first step for many organizations—particularly those just stepping into the world of compliance for the first time—is a SOC 2 readiness assessment. But for those first-timers who don’t know what to expect from this process, it might help to have a roadmap.

We’ve provided all types of SOC services since the emergence of the brand back in 2011, and over the years, we’ve often received questions specifically about the difference between SOC 2 and SOC 3 reports. Whether or not you work with us on these services, you deserve to know which option is best for your organization and why.

As you likely know, there are different System and Organization Controls (SOC) report options, such as SOC 1 and SOC 2/SOC 3. What may be lesser known is that within those SOC report options, there are also different types, referred to as Type 1 and Type 2. In other words, the specific use of “Type” as a distinguisher are different specified options for both the SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports.

Cloud computing has become an essential aspect of modern business operations, offering scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. However, with the increased reliance on cloud services comes the growing need for security and compliance assurances. As such, Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) now face the challenge of proving they can securely handle customer data while maintaining reliable operations.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has designed three distinguished SOC reports to accommodate the varying needs of service organizations, each with their own purpose and intended use. As such, when service organizations begin researching System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports, their first consideration often centers around determining which SOC report(s) is best for their needs.