Service Organisation Control (SOC) 2 is a widely adopted auditing standard for service providers that handle customer data. It evaluates whether an organisation’s controls align with five Trust Services Criteria: Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. Unlike ISO 27001, SOC 2 reports are tailored to each organisation’s environment and focus on controls relevant to the service.
Preparing for a SOC 2 audit begins with a gap assessment: compare current practices against the Trust Services Criteria to identify areas requiring improvement. Controls may include network security (e.g., firewalls and segmentation), logical access management, encryption, monitoring, and incident response. Documentation is critical—auditors will expect to see policies, procedures, and evidence of control operation.
Organisations pursuing SOC 2 can benefit from automation platforms like Scrut, which helps implement controls and maintain continuous compliance. Using a vendor like Scrut Automation, businesses can streamline their SOC 2 readiness, generate audit documentation, and continuously monitor their environment. SOC 2 certification demonstrates to customers and partners that you take data protection seriously and can give a competitive advantage in sectors such as SaaS, fintech, and health technology.
