SOC Certification Requirements

 

The SOC (System and Organization Controls) certification is a set of standards developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to assess the internal controls of organizations. There are three types of SOC reports, SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3, each with different requirements. Here's a brief overview:-

 

1.         SOC 1: This report is focused on controls related to financial reporting. It evaluates the effectiveness of an organization's internal controls over financial reporting.

 

2.         SOC 2: This report evaluates the effectiveness of an organization's controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of customer data. There are five trust service criteria that must be met: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.

 

3.         SOC 3: This report is a general-use report that covers the same areas as SOC 2. However, it provides less detail and is designed for a wider audience.

 

To obtain SOC certification, organizations must go through a rigorous auditing process by an independent CPA firm that assesses the effectiveness of the organization's controls in meeting the SOC standards. The organization must also have written policies and procedures in place that document the controls and processes being evaluated. Finally, the organization must be able to provide evidence that its controls have been operating effectively over a period of time.