Service Organisation Control 2 (SOC 2)
A Service Organisation Control 2 (SOC 2) report is an audit report used by service organisations to show how they protect customer data. A service organisation is a business that provides a service to another company. For example, a cloud hosting provider, a data centre, or a payroll company. The report proves that the service organisation has controls in place to protect the privacy and security of a client’s information. It is based on a set of criteria called the Trust Services Criteria (TSC). There are five of these criteria: Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. The SOC 2 report is an important way for businesses to build trust with their clients.
Examples
Here are some examples of companies that would get a SOC 2 report:
- A cloud service provider: A company like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure, which stores customer data on their servers, would need a SOC 2 report to show that they keep this data safe.
- A payroll processing company: A company that handles employee salaries and personal information for other businesses would need a SOC 2 report to prove they protect that data.
- A software-as-a-service (SaaS) company: If a company offers an online tool where clients store their data, they would get a SOC 2 report to show that the tool is secure.
Context
Imagine you are a small business owner. You want to use an online company to manage your employees’ payroll. This company will have access to sensitive information like names, addresses, and bank details. How can you be sure they will keep this information safe? This is where a SOC 2 report comes in.
You can ask the payroll company for their SOC 2 report. The report, written by an independent auditor, will tell you how the company handles and protects your data. It will explain their security measures and show that they follow the rules. This report gives you peace of mind that your data is in good hands. A SOC 2 report is a way for a company to show its customers that it is trustworthy and responsible with their data.
