SOC 2 Compliance Guide
Complete guide to achieving SOC 2 Type I and Type II certification with Axura. Understand the Trust Services Criteria and how to demonstrate compliance.
What is SOC 2?
SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2) is a compliance framework developed by the AICPA that assesses how organizations manage customer data. It's based on five Trust Services Criteria: Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy.
💡 Type I vs Type II
Type I evaluates controls at a point in time. Type IIevaluates controls over a period (typically 6-12 months). Most customers require Type II.
Trust Services Criteria
| Criteria | Description | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Security (Common Criteria) | Protection against unauthorized access | Always |
| Availability | System uptime and accessibility | Optional |
| Processing Integrity | Accurate and complete data processing | Optional |
| Confidentiality | Protection of confidential information | Optional |
| Privacy | Personal information handling | Optional |
Security (Common Criteria)
The Security criteria (CC1-CC9) are required for all SOC 2 audits:
CC1 - Control Environment
Organizational structure, ethics, HR practices
CC2 - Communication & Information
Internal and external communication
CC3 - Risk Assessment
Risk identification and management
CC4 - Monitoring Activities
Ongoing evaluation of controls
CC5 - Control Activities
Policies and procedures
CC6 - Logical & Physical Access
Access management and authentication
CC7 - System Operations
Monitoring and incident response
CC8 - Change Management
System development and changes
CC9 - Risk Mitigation
Vendor management and risk transfer
SOC 2 Timeline
Month 1-2: Gap Analysis & Planning
└─ Identify gaps in current controls
└─ Create remediation roadmap
└─ Implement missing controls
Month 3-4: Evidence Collection
└─ Configure automated evidence collection
└─ Document policies and procedures
└─ Complete employee training
Month 5: Type I Audit (Optional)
└─ Point-in-time assessment
└─ Quick validation of controls
Month 6-11: Observation Period
└─ Continuous monitoring
└─ Ongoing evidence collection
└─ Address any findings
Month 12: Type II Audit
└─ Full audit over observation period
└─ Auditor testing and interviews
└─ Receive SOC 2 reportHow Axura Helps
Automated Gap Analysis
Identify what you need before you start.
Continuous Evidence
24/7 evidence collection from integrations.
Control Mapping
Automatic mapping of evidence to SOC 2 controls.
Auditor Workspace
Secure portal for your auditor to review evidence.
Audit Simulator
Practice for auditor questions.