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⬤ SaaS
How Long Does A SOC 2 Audit Take?
How Long Does A SOC 2 Audit Take?
⬤ SaaS
Achieving SOC 2 compliance involves a structured and systematic approach to ensure your organization meets the rigorous standards for data security, availability, confidentiality, processing integrity, and privacy.
According to research by IBM & Ponemon Institute, nearly 30% of businesses will experience a data breach in the near future. With the current risk conditions, your potential customers will seek assurance that their sensitive data will be kept safe. And, one of the best ways to provide this confidence is through a SOC 2 Type II report.
Building Customer Trust through Security Assurance
Below is a detailed breakdown of the timeline and milestones typically involved in obtaining a SOC 2 Type Type II report:
Month 1: Readiness Assessment
The readiness phase is all about understanding where you stand regarding compliance and identifying the gaps you need to address.
1. Deliverables:
- A formal SOC 2 Type I or Type II report, depending on your audit scope.
2. Activities:
- Engage with auditors: Be ready to answer questions and clarify how your controls meet SOC 2 standards.
- Submit evidence: Share the evidence collected during the pre-audit phase to demonstrate compliance.
- Review findings: Once the auditor completes the review, you might need to address any flagged issues.
3. Key Requirements:
- Collaboration with auditors: Maintain open communication to resolve queries quickly.
- Final documentation: Ensure your evidence and findings are well-organized for a smooth audit process.
Months 2–4: Implementation and Monitoring
This phase focuses on closing the gaps identified earlier and setting up ongoing monitoring systems.
1. Deliverables:
- Fully implemented and documented policies and procedures.
- Integrated monitoring tools to track compliance.
2. Activities:
- Implement technical remediations: You might need to strengthen application-level security, update configurations, or encrypt sensitive data.
- Train your team: Conduct training sessions for employees to ensure they understand compliance procedures and their responsibilities.
- Integrate monitoring tools: Start using tools to track and validate key controls in real-time.
3. Key Requirements:
- Monitoring tools: Use platforms to monitor activities like login attempts, data access, and system changes.
- Ticketing system: A platform like ClickUp or Jira can help track and resolve compliance-related tasks.
Months 5–6: Pre-Audit and Evidence Collection
This stage ensures you’re prepared for the formal audit by validating controls and gathering evidence.
1. Deliverables:
- A complete evidence repository that demonstrates compliance.
- Internal validation of readiness through mock audits.
2. Activities:
- Conduct mock audits: Run internal reviews to simulate the audit process and identify weak spots.
- Collect evidence: You might need to gather logs, reports, and documents that demonstrate control effectiveness.
- Validate controls: Review monitoring outputs to ensure all systems are working as intended.
3. Key Requirements:
- GRC tools: Automate evidence collection to save time and reduce human error.
- Collaboration platforms: Use tools to organize and share evidence with internal and external stakeholders.
Months 6–7: Independent Audit
This is the final step, where an external auditor evaluates your controls and issues the SOC 2 report.
1. Deliverables:
- Fully implemented and documented policies and procedures.
- Integrated monitoring tools to track compliance.
2. Activities:
- Implement technical remediations: You might need to strengthen application-level security, update configurations, or encrypt sensitive data.
- Train your team: Conduct training sessions for employees to ensure they understand compliance procedures and their responsibilities.
- Integrate monitoring tools: Start using tools to track and validate key controls in real-time.
3. Key Requirements:
- Monitoring tools: Use platforms to monitor activities like login attempts, data access, and system changes.
- Ticketing system: A platform like ClickUp or Jira can help track and resolve compliance-related tasks.
How Automation and Expertise Accelerate Compliance
Automation tools like DRATA significantly reduce the time and effort required for SOC 2 compliance by automating evidence collection, control monitoring, and reporting. However, achieving compliance also requires in-depth expertise to customize controls, train teams, and ensure continuous readiness.
At this point, working with a specialized compliance partner like Invimatic can streamline the process. We offer continuous compliance services that not only help organizations navigate the pre-audit, monitoring, and audit phases but also ensure long-term adherence to SOC 2 standards. By combining automation with expert guidance, we make the SOC 2 journey seamless, empowering businesses to focus on their growth.
Key Takeaways
SOC 2 compliance is a declaration of intent. It reflects your dedication to safeguarding customer trust and holding your business accountable in times when data breaches are not a question of if but when.
Think about it: would you entrust your personal data to a company that doesn’t prioritize security? Neither would your customers.
Compliance is a bridge that connects operational excellence with market credibility. The journey may be complex, but it’s also an opportunity to reshape how your organization thinks about security, processes, and resilience. With the right blend of automation and expertise, you can future-proof your business and lead with integrity.
Related Blogs
SOC 2 Compliance Checklist
Mastering SOC 2 Compliance: A Complete Guide for SaaS Companies
