While guidance inside the Best Practice Guide: Adopting A New Framework in CrossComply can be applied to any compliance framework, SOC 2 and ISO 27001 are among the most frequently pursued frameworks. Understanding the differences between them is crucial for determining which to pursue or whether both are necessary for your organization.
Understanding SOC 2
SOC 2 focuses on the Trust Service Criteria, including Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. It is commonly pursued by organizations that need to demonstrate to customers and clients that their data is secure and their systems are reliable. SOC 2 is often driven by client demands and is most applicable to technology companies, SaaS providers, and service-oriented businesses that handle customer data.
It’s common for organizations to pursue SOC 2 first if their primary goal is to prove that they meet industry standards for data security, especially in the context of providing services to customers (such as SaaS). SOC 2 is often customer-driven, as it shows that the organization has implemented adequate controls to protect customer data.
Understanding ISO 27001
ISO 27001 emphasizes the creation of a comprehensive Information Security Management System (ISMS). It requires organizations to establish a framework for managing risks and implementing continuous improvement. ISO 27001 is more globally recognized and is often pursued by organizations that need a broader and more detailed approach to managing information security risks. It includes the evaluation of controls outlined in ISO 27002 Annex A.
Recommended Sequence for ISO 27001 Gap Assessment
- Run the ISO 27001 Assessment: First, assess your organization against ISO 27001 to ensure that the core components of an ISMS, such as risk assessments, policy management, and incident handling, are in place.
- Assess Against ISO 27002 (Annex A Controls): After the ISO 27001 assessment, you would move on to evaluate the Annex A controls (ISO 27002) to ensure that specific security measures are functioning as intended (e.g., encryption, access control, physical security).
Pursuing Both SOC 2 and ISO 27001 Simultaneously
Some organizations choose to pursue both frameworks at the same time if they need to meet specific customer requirements (SOC 2) while also building a broader security management system (ISO 27001). However, this can be resource-intensive, as SOC 2 focuses on specific criteria, while ISO 27001 requires the establishment of an ongoing ISMS.
Our Recommendation
If you pursue both frameworks simultaneously, it is highly recommended to establish a common control set. By creating a unified set of controls that address both SOC 2 and ISO 27001 requirements, you can streamline your compliance efforts, making the process more efficient and reducing duplication of effort. This will allow your organization to align its compliance strategies across both frameworks and save resources in the long run.
AuditBoard’s SCF common controls offer a powerful solution to this challenge. You can adopt them directly, building a control set that not only covers multiple frameworks but is also mapped to all frameworks they cover. As a result, your controls will be ready for SOC 2, ISO 27001, and any future frameworks that are added, with automatic mapping ensuring that control test results translate to compliance coverage across frameworks.
By leveraging AuditBoard’s SCF controls, you can achieve your goal of “test once, comply with many,” where a single control test provides compliance coverage across multiple standards, ensuring efficiency and long-term sustainability in your compliance management program.
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