SOC Compliance 1 (1)
                     SOC Compliance Explained: A Complete
Guide for SaaS Companies 2025
SOC 2 Type I vs Type II: What's the Difference and
Which is Right for You?
By 2025, SaaS companies will be growing at an unprecedented speed, and customer trust
protection and data privacy matters more now than ever before.  In the world's  current
economy, System and organization controls (SOC compliance) specifically SOC 2 compliance
has become the gold standard for assessing how service provides to manage customer data.
However, when companies initially think about  SOC    2    compliance , a common thought
comes into play... what's the difference with SOC 2 Type I vs Type II and which do I even care
about first?
SOC 2 Type I
The SOC 2 Type I audit examines your security controls to see whether they are
appropriately  established at a given moment to satisfy the trust service requirements of
security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
Best for: early-stage SaaS or startup businesses that are looking for quick trust signalling
with prospects.
Key points:
 Point in time audit
 Shorter completion time (2-3 months)
 Reflects intent and planning of secure system
SOC 2 Type II
Conversely, SOC 2 Type II assesses your controls' operational efficacy across a time frame, 
usually three to twelve months.
Best suited for: Well-established SaaS organizations and those looking to offer enterprise 
client services.
Key characteristics:
 Observation over time
 Shows real-world effectiveness
 More believable for prospecting purposes, especially if you are in a regulated 
industry
What Should You Choose?
If you are just getting started and want to do something quickly to show you have an interest in
practicing good security hygiene, start with SOC 2 Type I. But if you are looking to sell to
enterprises or global clients, they will expect Type II. Most SaaS companies start with Type
and go to Type II.
A Complete Checklist for Preparing for SOC 2 Audits
Passing the audit is only one aspect of SOC 2 compliance; another is developing a solid, safe,
and dependable solution. Here is a list of  SOC   2   compliance checklist  requirements for SaaS
companies in 2025.
Step 1: Phase of Scope
Identify which of the five Trust Service Criteria apply to your organization:
 Security (required)
 Availability
 Processing Integrity
 Confidentiality
 Privacy
Tip: Most SaaS products will start with Security and Availability.
Step 2: Choose a Report Type
Determine if a SOC 2 Type I or SOC 2 Type II will suffice based on your growth stage and the
expectations of your clients.
Step 3: Perform a Readiness Assessment
Before the audit, conduct a gap analysis to see your level of preparedness:
 Identify policies you are missing
 Assess your system configurations
 Interview stakeholders
 Test common security incidents
Outcome: a deliverable documenting the action plan to prepare for the audit.
Step 4: Apply Controls
Use platforms such as GRC (Governance, Risk & Compliance),  or compliance automation
software to apply controls for access control/user provisioning, vulnerability management,
change management, incident response and security training/awareness programs.
Step 5: Document Take Everything
SOC audits tend to be documentation heavy. Keep records of:
 Security policies
 System architectural diagrams
 Risk assessments
 Audit trails and logs
 Onboarding/offboarding
Step 6: Train Your Team
Every team member should understand basic security hygiene. Conduct regular training 
sessions with your employees, covering such topics as:
 Phishing foods/social engineering
 Secure password practices
 Incident reporting procedures
Step 7: Perform Internal Audits
Before you proceed to the actual auditors, run an internal SOC 2 audit. Think of some of the 
typical audit questions and see how your systems and people would respond.
Step 8: Set Up a Licensed CPA Firm
The only valid SOC 2 report can be issued by a licensed CPA. Select a firm that has 
experience in a SaaS or cloud-native environment.
Top Companies That Help You Achieve SOC 2 Compliance
As SaaS companies scale in 2025, SOC 2 compliance has become a critical trust signal — not
only for enterprise clients but also for investors and regulators. For many growing
businesses,  navigating SOC 2 requirements  internally can be time-consuming,  expensive,
and complex.
1. CyberSigma – Your End-to-End SOC 2 Compliance Partner
CyberSigma is a consulting firm that specializes in cybersecurity that's tailored for today's
modern SaaS businesses. Our focus on security, scalability, and compliance with the industry
sets us apart in our ability to provide a hands-on and tailored journey to SOC 2.
Why CyberSigma is the Best:
End-to-End SOC 2 Expertise: CyberSigma covers the entire readiness, mapping, and audit
phases and everything in between.
Built for SaaS: We understand SaaS businesses in fast-paced development environments
and help them understand how to add security controls without slowing down.
Audit-Ready Documentation: CyberSigma supports companies with policies, evidence, and
process and system mappings consistently documented and agreed to with the audit in
mind.
Trusted by Growing Teams:  We have the privilege of working with startups, mid-market
platforms, and product-led companies who are growing at an incredibly fast pace on a global
scale.
Human + Tech: We use some of the best tools in the industry and couple them with real
expert guidance, so there are no cookie-cutter playbooks.
Whether you are preparing for a Type I or wanting to get on the path to Type II, CyberSigma
provides you with the strategic support you need to get compliant faster - and smarter.
2. Vanta
Vanta is a prominent automated compliance platform providing tools to manage and
monitor security controls on a continuous basis for SOC 2, ISO 27001, etc. It is a well-fit
choice for tech- savvy teams looking for evidence collection based on integrations.
Strengths:
 Integrations (AWS, GitHub, G Suite, etc.) automation
 Continuous real-time compliance monitoring
 Partnership with audit firms for seamless transitions
3. Drata
Drata is another fast-growing compliance automation platform designed to better automate
the SOC 2 compliance journey. With automated control mapping and real-time reporting, it
would be particularly useful for DevSecOps teams needing automation.
Strengths:
 Continuous control monitoring
 Clean audit trails and dashboards
 Easily scalable as SaaS teams grow
4. Secureframe
Secureframe is an all-in-one compliance tool that combines compliance management together
for SOC 2, ISO, HIPAA, GDPR, and more – everything lives within one platform. The support
provided includes various templates, workflows, and relationships with auditors.
Strengths:
Easy-to-use platform for small-to-mid sized teams
Since they have so many policy templates to use, as well as support for onboarding teams,
Secureframe can best assist early-stage compliance teams.
5.A-LIGN
A-LIGN is a cybersecurity and audit firm offering SOC 2 audits and advisory services. Unlike
some platforms, they have significant expertise from a certified audit firm and can provide
hands-on guidance.
Strengths:
 End-to-end audit services
 Experience with enterprise compliance
 Again, as a traditional audit firm, they have credibility
6. KPMG, BDO, EY and Deloitte
The Big Four and mid-tier audit firms provide SOC 2 Reporting under their assurance services.
They are an appropriate option for mature organizations that want to work with a high trust
audit partner.
Strengths:
 Global recognition and trust
 Strong audit capabilities
 Most organizations that are large typically use these firms as their audit service 
provider
How CyberSigma Supports Your SOC 2 Compliance
CyberSigma isn't a compliance consultant only. We are a strategic partner to help you build a
scalable, security-first SaaS business.
Here are some of the ways in which we accelerate and simplify your SOC 2 journey:
1. Tailored Readiness Assessment
We start  with  an  in-depth  assessment  of  your  current  environment  and gaps  in
policies, technical controls and documentation. Our experts will  work with you to
define what scope and Trust Service Criteria (TSC) you will need for your product and
market.
2. Implementation Support
We support you in implementing the required controls for SOC 2 without getting in
the way of your business. We do everything from building access controls to helping
you build incidence response plans.
3. Documentation & Evidence Management
SOC 2 has a lot of documentation. We help you to bring everything an auditor will
require in a single area, including policies, logs, workflows, evidence, etc., all in the
formats that auditors would like to see, readily accessible.
4. Auditor Communication Coordination
We will communicate and work with certified CPA firms on your behalf, coordinating
communication with them to help facilitate evidences hand over and clarifying any
technical questions, producing a smoother and more predictable audit process.
5. Built for SaaS Scale
Our service works whether you are pre-Series A or post-Series A. I mean it when I say
we  are  built  to  fit  the  changing  nature  of  a  SaaS  business.  We  help  you  align
compliance while growing your business model, not hold it back.
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