SOC 2
Definition
SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) is an auditing standard developed by the AICPA that evaluates a software company's controls over security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. A SOC 2 Type II report -- covering 6-12 months of operating effectiveness -- is increasingly required by enterprise buyers and is a de facto procurement requirement for B2B SaaS vendors.
SOC 2 is the trust badge enterprise buyers check before signing a software contract. A SOC 2 Type I report verifies that controls exist at a point in time. A SOC 2 Type II report -- the one that matters -- verifies that controls operated effectively over a sustained period (typically 6 or 12 months).
SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria
- Security (CC) -- required for all SOC 2 reports; covers logical and physical access, change management, risk assessment
- Availability (A) -- system uptime and performance commitments
- Processing Integrity (PI) -- data processed completely and accurately
- Confidentiality (C) -- data designated confidential is protected
- Privacy (P) -- personal information is collected, used, and disclosed per policy
SOC 2 vs. FedRAMP
SOC 2 is the commercial enterprise standard. FedRAMP is required for federal government cloud services. They share controls but are distinct programs. Many federal-adjacent vendors pursue SOC 2 first (faster and cheaper) as a bridge while pursuing FedRAMP authorization.
Related terms
FedRAMP
FedRAMP is the U.S. government's standardized security authorization program for cloud services used by federal agencies, reusable across agencies once granted.
CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)
CMMC is the DoD's certification program verifying that defense contractors protect federal contract information and controlled unclassified information.
NIST SP 800-171
NIST SP 800-171 is the National Institute of Standards and Technology publication that defines 110 security requirements for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in non-federal systems and organizations. Any company that handles CUI under a DoD contract must implement all 110 requirements and submit a self-assessment score to the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS).
HIPAA Software
HIPAA software is any application that creates, receives, maintains, or transmits Protected Health Information (PHI) and must comply with the HIPAA Security Rule's administrative, physical, and technical safeguards. Healthcare software companies that handle PHI must sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with covered entities -- violations carry fines of $100-$50,000 per violation up to $1.9 million annually.
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