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Sarah Harvey / June 14, 2023
As vendors, managed service providers (MSP) are sought out to help entities create and maintain a strong security posture – they shouldn’t bring more risk into their clients’ environments. When organizations engage with MSPs, they want to know how secure their organization really is and will often ask that the MSP undergo a SOC 2 audit before engaging with their services. So, while you may think that your services are…
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Joseph Kirkpatrick / December 16, 2022
Common Criteria 5.1 When an organization undergoes a SOC 2 audit, auditors need to validate that they comply with the common criteria listed in the 2017 SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria. Common criteria 5.1 says, “The entity selects and develops control activities that contribute to the mitigation of risks to the achievement of objectives to acceptable levels.” What will an auditor look for when assessing this criterion? What do organizations…
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Joseph Kirkpatrick / December 16, 2022
Common Criteria 4.2 When a service organization undergoes a SOC 2 audit, auditors will be looking to validate that they comply with the common criteria listed in the 2017 SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria. Common criteria 4.2 says, “The entity evaluates and communicates internal control deficiencies in a timely manner to those parties responsible for taking corrective action, including senior management and the board of directors, as appropriate.” What will…
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Joseph Kirkpatrick / December 16, 2022
Establishing methods of effective monitoring is a critical component of SOC 2 compliance. During a SOC 2 audit, an auditor will not only assess whether or not an organization is effectively monitoring their internal controls but also whether or not the proper person is monitoring those internal controls. Why is that? It comes down to the need for checks and balances, so let’s discuss. Monitoring Internal Controls When deciding who…
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Sarah Harvey / February 5, 2024
Because of the complexity of today’s threats and the innovation of new businesses, it’s not uncommon for organizations to pursue multiple compliance goals at the same time. Let’s say you provide IaaS solutions – you may want not only a SOC 2 attestation, but also HIPAA compliance for the healthcare clients you serve. Let’s say you’re a payment processing SaaS who needs PCI compliance and a SOC 2 attestation. When…
