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SOC 2

SOC 2 - Service Organization Control 2 (Trust Services Criteria)

The compliance benchmark that unlocks enterprise sales. SOC 2, developed by the AICPA, evaluates your organization's controls relevant to security, availability, confidentiality, processing integrity, and privacy. A SOC 2 Type II report is the most requested compliance artifact in B2B SaaS sales cycles, giving prospective customers confidence that their data is handled with rigorous, independently verified safeguards.

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61

Total Controls

3-9 months (Type I) / 6-15 months (Type II)

Avg. Timeline

$30,000-$120,000

Avg. Cost

Annual audit report (Type II covers a 6-12 month observation period)

Renewal Cycle

Cross-Framework Control Mapping

Key SOC 2 controls mapped to equivalent requirements in other frameworks. Work done for one framework reduces effort on the others.

SOC 2 Control ISO 27001 GDPR NIS2
Logical Access (CC6.1) A.5.15, A.8.2 Art. 25, Art. 32 Art. 21(2)(i)
Change Management (CC8.1) A.8.9, A.8.32 Art. 25(1) Art. 21(2)(e)
Risk Assessment (CC3.1, CC3.2) A.5.7, Clause 6.1 Art. 24, Art. 35 Art. 21(2)(a)
Incident Response (CC7.3, CC7.4) A.5.24, A.5.26 Art. 33, Art. 34 Art. 21(2)(b)
Availability (A1.1, A1.2) A.5.29, A.5.30 Art. 32(1)(c) Art. 21(2)(c)

Where auditors look first

The highest-risk SOC 2 controls - the ones auditors probe earliest and where gaps cost the most. Start your assessment here.

A1.2 Availability - Environmental Protections, Backups, and Recovery Infrastructure CC1.1 COSO Principle 1: Demonstrates Commitment to Integrity and Ethical Values CC3.2 COSO Principle 7: Identifies and Analyzes Risk CC4.1 COSO Principle 16: Selects, Develops, and Performs Ongoing and/or Separate Evaluations CC5.1 COSO Principle 10: Selects and Develops Control Activities That Mitigate Risks CC5.2 COSO Principle 11: Selects and Develops General Controls Over Technology CC6.1 Logical and Physical Access - Security Software, Infrastructure, and Architectures CC6.2 Logical and Physical Access - User Registration and Authorization

Key SOC 2 terms

Plain-language definitions for the concepts you will meet while working through SOC 2.

Audit Evidence Audit Trail Compliance Automation Compliance Gap Analysis Consent Management Control Objective Corrective Action Cryptographic Controls Data Breach Notification Data Minimization Data Portability External Audit Information Security Policy Internal Audit Management Review Nonconformity Privacy by Design Purpose Limitation Residual Risk Risk Appetite Risk Register Risk Treatment Segregation of Duties SOC 2 Type 1 SOC 2 Type 2 Supply Chain Risk Third-Party Assurance Trust Services Criteria Vendor Risk Management

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between SOC 2 Type I and Type II?
Type I evaluates whether your controls are suitably designed at a specific point in time. Type II evaluates whether those controls operated effectively over a period (typically 6-12 months). Most customers and enterprise buyers require Type II. Type I can serve as a stepping stone while you build an operating track record.
How long does a SOC 2 audit take?
The audit itself takes 2-6 weeks depending on scope and company size. However, you need to be audit-ready first. For Type II, you need 3-12 months of operating evidence before the auditor can evaluate effectiveness. Total timeline from zero to SOC 2 Type II report: 6-12 months.
Which Trust Services Criteria do I need?
Security (Common Criteria) is mandatory for every SOC 2 audit. The other four - Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy - are optional. Most SaaS companies include Security and Availability. Add Privacy if you handle personal data. Your customers may specify which criteria they require.
How much does SOC 2 cost?
Audit fees range from $10,000-$50,000 depending on scope and auditor. Add $5,000-$20,000 for tooling, and consulting costs if needed. For a startup pursuing SOC 2 Type II with Security and Availability criteria, budget $20,000-$40,000 total for the first year.

Control Categories

SOC 2 organizes 61 controls into 5 categories.

Common Criteria (Security)

33

33 controls

Availability

3

3 controls

Confidentiality

2

2 controls

Processing Integrity

8

8 controls

Privacy

15

15 controls

Key Statistics

Certification Timeline

3-9 months (Type I) / 6-15 months (Type II)

Average time to achieve certification

Average Cost

$30,000-$120,000

Typical cost including audit fees

Renewal Cycle

Annual audit report (Type II covers a 6-12 month observation period)

Ongoing compliance requirements

Who Needs SOC 2?

B2B SaaS companies Cloud infrastructure providers Data processing companies FinTech startups HR technology platforms API and integration platforms

Applicable Regions

United States Canada Global (US-originated, internationally recognized)

Related Frameworks

Organizations pursuing SOC 2 often also work toward these standards.

ISO 27001 GDPR

Start your SOC 2 self-assessment

AuditFront helps you track every SOC 2 control, gather evidence, and prepare for your audit -- all in one platform. The full SOC 2 checklist (all 61 controls) is included on the Free plan.

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