NDNB provides SOC 2 compliance for software development entities for ensuring rapid and comprehensive adherence to the AICPA Service Organization Control (SOC) platform. With today’s ever-growing regulatory compliance mandates – coupled with increasing cybersecurity risks – software development businesses are being required to undertake annual SOC 2 compliance, which can be a challenging endeavor for many. NDNB provides SOC 2 compliance for software development entities for ensuring rapid and comprehensive adherence to the AICPA Service Organization Control (SOC) platform. With today’s ever-growing regulatory compliance mandates – coupled with increasing cybersecurity risks – software development businesses are being required to undertake annual SOC 2 compliance, which can be a challenging endeavor for many.
Here's What you Need to Know About SOC 2 for SDLC
The key to SOC 2 auditing success is understanding the following critical components, ultimately resulting in an efficient process that saves both time and money for your business:
Choose the “Correct” Assessment: If you’ve been reading up about SOC 2, then you’re probably familiar with the SOC 1 vs. SOC 2 debate and which assessment is the “correct” audit for a service organization. Let’s provide some clarity on this issue by stating the following: SOC 1 SSAE 18 assessments are performed on organizations exhibiting a true connection to the Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR) concept, while SOC 2 assessments are primarily performed on technology businesses. Thus, if a service organization is performing critical financial calculations and reporting for their clients, then SOC 1 SSAE 18 is the more suitable audit, while data centers, SaaS entities and other I.T. related businesses are performing SOC 2 assessments.
Learn about the Trust Services Criteria: With five (5) Trust Services Criteria (TSC) available to choose from for a SOC 2 audit, it’s important to understand what they are, what they cover, and which of the five you should consider for audit scope purposes. They are as follows:
- Security
- Availability
- Processing Integrity
- Confidentiality
- Privacy
A competent and well-informed CPA firm – such as NDNB – can help in determining which TSC’s to include within your SOC 2 report, so call and speak with Christopher Nickell, CPA, at 1-800-277-5415, ext. 706 today, or email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Consider a Readiness Assessment: When performed properly, a SOC 2 readiness assessment helps unearth material gaps and weaknesses within a service organization’s control environment, ultimately allowing for timely remediation before the actual audit commences. From missing documentation to security system failures, there’s much that can be found with a comprehensive SOC 2 readiness assessment. In the long run, performing such an exercise saves precious operational man-hours as it helps ensure you’ll have an efficient and streamlined auditing process from the onset. Nobody wants to start and stop an audit multiple times in order to correct and enhance an internal control failure that should have been assessed and remediated prior to the audit!
Know that Remediation is Critical: From documentation needs to system configuration changes, remediation is a major initiative when it comes to SOC 2 compliance, no question about it. As for the degree and depth of remediation, that depends entirely on the mature of one’s internal control environment.
NDNB | North America’s SOC 2 Compliance Leaders
When it comes to expert knowledge, fixed fee pricing, and delivering SOC 2 audit reports on time and within budget, the professionals at NDNB have you covered. We’ve been issuing SOC reports for years – even starting with the original SAS 70 auditing standard in 1992 – and we’ve developed a process that simply works. From SOC 2 readiness assessments to remediation services – and more – NDNB is North America’s leading provider of compliance audits. Call and speak with Christopher Nickell, CPA, at 1-800-277-5415, ext. 706 today, or email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
