Ensuring robust website security is essential for businesses—not only to protect customer privacy but also to safeguard the organization from potential security breaches. This guide helps you understand SOC 2 compliance and how to implement it effectively within your organization.
Implementing foundational security measures such as using strong passwords, remaining vigilant against small business scams, and upgrading your website to SSL/HTTPS technology are critical first steps in securing your online presence.
An additional and more advanced layer of protection is achieving SOC 2 compliance. Developed by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA), Service Organization Control 2 (SOC 2) is a voluntary compliance standard that defines how organizations should manage and protect customer data.
While SOC 2 compliance is not mandatory, working with technology providers—such as website hosting services, data centers, or IT service providers—that meet SOC 2 standards demonstrates a strong commitment to data security and highlights proactive efforts to safeguard customer information.
SOC 2 reports evaluate an organization’s security controls based on five Trust Services Criteria. Security assesses the organization’s ability to protect information from unauthorized access. Availability examines whether systems are reliable and capable of supporting normal business operations. Processing Integrity evaluates whether systems operate accurately, consistently, and without errors. Confidentiality ensures that sensitive information is protected throughout its lifecycle, from collection to disposal. Privacy focuses on the protection of personally identifiable information (PII) collected from customers.
Organizations can choose which Trust Services Criteria to include in their SOC 2 audit based on business objectives and industry requirements. Typically, a SOC 2–compliant technology provider offers enhanced protection against cyberattacks and data breaches, controls to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information, proactive threat detection to identify vulnerabilities and unusual activity, rapid identification of security risks for immediate remediation, and continuous monitoring to detect and address deviations from standard security practices.
By selecting SOC 2–compliant service providers, businesses can significantly improve their security posture and operational reliability, ultimately building trust and confidence among their customers. Cyber Security Hive helps organizations achieve SOC 2 compliance quickly and efficiently. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or require assistance.