What is the difference between ISO 27001 and SOC 2?

SOC 2 Type II is one of the most stringent information security standards available for SaaS companies. At UnderDefense, we know how important information security is to your business. That’s why our team conducts rigorous data security audits. We will analyze the components that allow you to form SOC 2 cost, conducted by an independent auditor.

Essence of ISO 27001 

You may have ever wondered if certification based on ISO 27001 is similar to SOC 2 reporting. Many companies nowadays require different assessments or certifications to meet certain standards or rules. These companies might be curious about how they can use their ISO 27001 certification to satisfy the requirements of a SOC 2 report, and vice versa. Here we have discussed the ways in which an ISO 27001 certification and a SOC 2 exam are similar and different from each other. Before we talk about the ways ISO 27001 certification and SOC 2 exam are similar or different, let’s understand what these two areas of compliance mean.

ISO 27001 is a widely accepted rule that explains what is needed for creating a plan to protect information security in a company. ISO 27001 describes what an Information Security Management System (ISMS) is, what needs to be in it, and how to control, check, and take care of it.

Certification is an independent validation in which all the requirements established by the ISO 27001 standard are met. Certificates issued are valid for a period of three years, during which follow-up audits must be performed before the time is up. The certificate is supposed to show that the Information Security Management System is working well and being used effectively.

At the beginning of 2011, the AICPA created the Service Organization Control (SOC). The goal of creating that framework was to distinguish the different types of services that accounting firms are supposed to provide to their clients. A SOC 2 report, entitled “Report on the controls in a service company that are related to security, availability, process integrity, confidentiality, or privacy,” is designed to meet a wide range of needs for information about the controls in a service company in the manner in which a CPA would report an independent attestation. Here you may be interested in SOC 2 certification cost provided by experienced auditors. Contact our team for a customized quote, and let’s move on to understand the essence of SOC 2 certification. 

The SOC 2 examination is an independent examination of all the organization’s controls that are designed and found to be operating efficiently to meet all applicable criteria.

Similarities

The SOC 2 report and an ISO 27001 certification have the following similarities:

1. They provide independent assurance on all controls of the organization offering a service for which they were designed and implemented to meet a specific set of requirements or criteria.
2. Both are internationally recognized standards and are accepted worldwide.
3. Both allow a service company to offer itself and gain a significant advantage over its competitors.

Differences

1. The ISO 27001-based certification includes a deliverable that describes the company’s conformance to the standard set of requirements. The SOC 2 certification report is a very detailed report describing the controls that meet the criteria applicable to other security services. SOC 2 also provides a strong explanation of the organization’s documents, the services it offers, and the system being assessed. We have a list of rules that companies must follow, but each company’s rules may be different. The SOC 2 report shouldn’t be seen as a certification.
2. The ISO 27001 certification looks at control activities and how they are supported. It focuses on the higher risk of information security in areas like managing documents, handling employees, managing assets, and working with suppliers. SOC 2 checks how well a company controls its internal systems. This system could have one or more services provided to the company. SOC 2 specifically looks at things like information systems rules, steps for doing things, keeping the system secure, and making changes to it. The scope of each report can vary a lot and include various aspects of the business.
3. The ISO 27001 certification takes three years, while the SOC 2 exam looks at both the future and the past. ISO 27001 certificates don’t give information about the environment or controls, but the SOC 2 report does provide details on controls and the environment that can be helpful for customers.
4. ISO 27001 certificates don’t give specific information about a system or its controls. On the other hand, the SOC 2 report provides useful details about controls and the system environment for customers. So, by discovering how much SOC 2 costs, our team can help you understand that whichever of these options you choose, a SOC 2 examination and an ISO 27001 certification are exemplary ways to communicate your commitment to information security. To gain the trust of the worldwide market and reassure your customers, your company needs to show that it has top-level security measures in place for information. This includes demonstrating that you have implemented controls, processes, and systems that meet the high-security standards required by a compliance program.

ISO 27001 Software

The ISO Tools Excellence Software for the ISO 27001 2023 Information Security Standard is composed of different applications that, when put together, work to ensure that the information that companies manage does not lose any of its most important properties: availability, integrity, and confidentiality.

Summary

• SOC 2 is a way for the AICPA to check if third-party service providers are keeping customer data safe.
• SOC 2 certification is based on a service provider’s compliance with the 5 “trusted service principles”: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
• The SOC 2 audit is when a company gets checked to see if its systems follow the 5 trust principles for services. During the audit, the auditor visits the company and checks their systems for 3 to 9 months to make sure they work well in a controlled setting.
• SOC 2 Type I only looks at the details of the company’s systems. SOC 2 Type II also checks how well it operates.
• UnderDefense’s SOC 2 audit is a reliable organization that helps with cloud security and compliance.
• Choosing service providers that are certified with SOC 2 Type II, like UnderDefense, has several advantages. These include avoiding data breaches, protecting against lawsuits and bankruptcy, increasing trustworthiness and dependability, and improving the likelihood of successfully closing business deals.

Current and future UnderDefense customers can already be assured of the quality of their data protection mechanisms and learn all the details in the SOC 2 report, available upon request.