SOC 2 Audits for Technology Platforms
Independent, CPA-led attestation of security, availability, confidentiality, processing integrity, and privacy controls.
Accelerate enterprise sales cycles
Enterprise prospects are increasingly requiring service organizations to prove their security posture before passing procurement. An unvetted security profile is a primary bottleneck in contract negotiations.
A CPA-signed SOC 2 report provides B2B SaaS and technology companies with the authoritative, third-party assurance required to answer security questionnaires, pass vendor reviews, and build immediate buyer trust.
Report Types
- SOC 2 Type I: Tests the design of controls at a specific point in time. Best for immediate, contract-driven deadlines.
- SOC 2 Type II: Tests both the design and operating effectiveness of controls over a period (usually 6–12 months). The gold standard.
Choose the right scope for your audit
Align your examination with your operational commitments and customer expectations.
The mandatory Common Criteria. Protection of systems against unauthorized access, disclosure, or damage.
Ensuring systems and information are operational and usable as agreed upon in SLAs.
Protection of sensitive information designated as confidential from disclosure to unauthorized entities.
System processing is complete, valid, accurate, timely, and authorized.
Collection, use, retention, disclosure, and disposal of personal information in conformity with commitments.
Our practical, CPA-led methodology
- 01
Gap & Scope Definition
We review your cloud configuration and define the specific systems and Trust Services Criteria required for your audit.
- 02
Remediation Phase
We help you draft missing security policies, configure identity settings, and prepare evidence trails for testing.
- 03
Observation Period
For Type II audits, we monitor your controls over the defined period, verifying operational consistency and logging compliance.
- 04
Examination & Attestation
Our CPAs perform the examination procedures and issue a SOC 2 report expressing the resulting independent opinion.
Expected deliverables
- AICPA-Standard SOC 2 Attestation Report
- Management Assertion Statement
- Description of Systems and Boundaries
- Independent Auditor's Opinion & Test Results
Common Obstacles
- Inconsistent Code Reviews
Missing pull request approvals or lack of segregation between developer environments and production.
- Unmanaged Employee Devices
Failure to install Mobile Device Management (MDM) software to enforce encryption and screen lock policies.
- Undocumented Risk Assessments
Lack of an annual, formalized risk assessment reviewed and approved by management.
Who we support
Customer relationship platforms, communication APIs, and collaborative workspace tools.
HIPAA-compliant hosting providers, electronic health record databases, and patient management platforms.
IT service providers, cloud infrastructure administrators, and remote monitoring platforms.
Readiness versus independent examination
AICPA guidelines require that CPAs maintain strict independence in fact and appearance during attestation engagements.
Advisory & Readiness Roles
We support your organization during the readiness phase to design controls, map compliance gaps, and recommend policy improvements. To ensure independence safeguards:
- Management Responsibility: Management retains sole authority to review, approve, and implement all security policies, system configuration choices, and risk management decisions.
- Separate Engagement Teams: If you select Expert Insights for both readiness advisory and the formal audit, we utilize completely separate engagement teams to perform the work.
- Auditor Selection: You are never locked into our CPAs for the examination. You can hire us for readiness and select any independent CPA firm to sign the report, or vice versa.
Independent CPA Examination
The attestation audit is an objective, separate procedure conducted by our licensed CPA team under SSAE 18 attestation standards:
- Independent Opinion: Our examination team performs independent testing of your operational evidence and issues a report expressing our unbiased professional opinion.
- No Audit-Team Configuration: The CPA auditors conducting the testing are restricted from writing your policies, configuring your security systems, or conducting management decisions.
- Formal Safeguards: We apply formal independence checks to identify, assess, and document safeguards against potential advisory-to-audit conflicts.
Related Resources
Get helpful guides and checklists to plan your SOC 2 compliance path:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a SOC 2 audit cost?
Auditor fees vary depending on scope (Type I vs Type II) and the number of Trust Services Criteria. A Type I audit typically costs between $12,000 and $22,000; a Type II audit ranges from $18,000 to $35,000. Working with a regional CPA-led advisor helps eliminate coastal premium rates.
What is the observation period for a SOC 2 Type II?
A Type II audit evaluates controls over an observation window, which must be a minimum of 3 months, though 6 months is the standard baseline, and 12 months is preferred by large enterprise buyers.
Can we choose which Trust Services Criteria to test?
Yes. The Security criteria (Common Criteria) is the only mandatory baseline. You can selectively add Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, or Privacy depending on your clients' requirements and your system operations.
Does SOC 2 require compliance software?
No, compliance software is not mandatory, but it helps automate evidence collection (like tracking GitHub pull requests and employee training logs). We work with all major compliance automation platforms.