3 minutes read The ISO 27001 and SOC 2 readiness checklist every startup needs, to prepare for and meet security compliance requirements with ease
For years, organizations have been using security standards and frameworks to organize their security programs and demonstrate their cybersecurity posture to potential customers. However, the increased adoption rate of cloud technologies and the overwhelming challenge in securing these environments have transformed the annual compliance auditing process into a significant pain point.
When it comes to trends in compliance, there’s no such thing as being too prepared with information on ISO 27001 vs. SOC 2. To that end, and as security compliance experts, we’ve prepared the ultimate ISO 27001 and SOC 2 readiness assessment checklist to ensure your startup is maximally prepared for your upcoming IT compliance audit.
Start early, work less
You want your startup to sail through its IT compliance security audits, from Day 1, even before you have a viable product shipped into the markets. Doing so will save you on time and effort in the long run. All your audit essentials, from your SOC 2 monitoring reports to your ISO 27001 certification costs, will all be organized and accessible to the relevant stakeholders.
Align on time limitations
How long does it take to get SOC 2 compliance? It could take six months, which could result in your startup losing a large account waiting for your SOC 2 report before closing a deal. The same goes for your ISO 27001 business continuity plan. It’s critical to ensure all parties involved are aligned on time limitations, to keep the security compliance audit process moving forward and on schedule, as well as to keep expectations in check.
Define the scope of your security compliance audit
As compliance is not a one-size-fits-all process, organizations must make sure the audit scope is customized specifically to their data handling, development lifecycle, and operational processes. Using an automated process, for your ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance can help you understand your audit scope, before the audit is even underway
List key cloud tools
As with every security audit, you must collect many data types to serve as evidence of your organization’s IT compliance. This data comes from the cloud-based tools and infrastructure used across the organization, from cloud platforms and identity access management, to change management tools, productivity tools, and others. Therefore, integrating an automated system that unifies the many data silos within an organization, is key.
Review the current state of your integrated compliance program
Once all the data has been prepared, it is time to analyze it, match it to the relevant controls, and identify any prevalent gaps. You will need to note any deviations from the requirements listed in the SOC 2 or ISO 27001 standard, which are covered in the scope of the current audit. Doing so will help you clarify your startup’s compliance risk map, so that by the time you get to the audit itself, your compliance posture will have improved.
Remediate any identified gaps
Finally, once you have obtained a customized scope, collected and analyzed all data, and identified existing gaps, you must remediate outstanding gaps to ensure your audit is as seamless and successful as can be. Note that this step can be quite complex, but integrating an automated compliance platform can guide you towards efficient and effective risk management and compliance, for the long haul. Are you ready for a zero-touch compliance experience that ensures you’re consistently prepared for every audit? Discover Cypago’s end-to-end intelligent compliance solution for any security standard and start orchestrating your startup’s security compliance, today! >> https://cypagostg.wpengine.com/how-it-works/