The importance of SOC 2 compliance is starting to become a priority for many companies. Do you think your firm isn’t doing enough to safeguard its customers’ information? Penetration testing might help. To understand the penetration testing requirements that will eventually help you achieve the compliance you desire, it is essential to know a few basics of SOC 2.

This article includes a brief introduction to SOC 2, the two types of examinations, and penetration testing requirements to achieve SOC 2 compliance.

1. What is SOC 2?

The acronym stands for “Service Organisation Control,” an international standard that governs how service organizations manage the risks associated with processing client data. It was developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) in response to global concerns over security following the September 11th terrorist attacks. The standard is divided into two categories: Type I and Type II.

Type I covers the system’s design and how it operates, while Type II examines the effectiveness of security controls put in place. Both are important for businesses that want to ensure their data is securely processed. SOC reports are not intended to be an audit but more of a “snapshot” of the security controls in place on the date of testing.

2. The five principles of SOC 2

The five principles that govern SOC 2 compliance are:

1. Security
2. Availability
3. Processing Integrity
4. Confidentiality
5. Privacy

3. The two types of SOC 2 examinations

Under the standards, there are two types of examinations:

SOC 2 Type 1

Type I is a less comprehensive report that only checks if the controls are in place and messages on how well they have been implemented but does not provide any opinion about your compliance with each principle.

SOC 2 Type 2

Type II is a comprehensive assessment that reports on whether or not your company adheres to each principle. It will also include an opinion about how effectively the security controls were implemented.

4. Is penetration testing necessary for SOC 2 compliance?

While performing a pentest is not technically required for achieving SOC compliance, it is highly recommended as it will help you uncover any vulnerabilities in your system before malicious actors exploit them.

5. Why is SOC 2 penetration testing important?

SOC2 penetration testing is essential because it allows you to identify vulnerabilities in your system before malicious actors exploit them. By identifying and fixing these vulnerabilities, you can help protect your customers’ data from being compromised.

This will require an assessment of your security controls and testing to verify that they are effective in preventing unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction of information. It’s important to note that the person or company performing the pen test must be qualified and authorized to do so.

6. SOC 2 Penetration Testing Requirements

To achieve SOC 2 compliance, your organization must prove that it is secure on all fronts. This means performing online penetration tests to satisfy all five trust service principles.

The penetration testing requirements are as follows:

1. Security – Pen testers must exploit vulnerabilities in your systems to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.
2. Availability – Test the resiliency of your systems by attempting to disrupt or deny service. Pen testers can do this by redirecting traffic, performing DoS attacks (Denial of Service), or by any other method to take systems offline.
3. Processing Integrity – Here, a tester may try to corrupt the data stored. Attempts must be made to read, modify and delete protected information while held and in transit.
4. Confidentiality – Pen testers must attempt to access data they are not authorized to view. This can be done by eavesdropping on network traffic or looking for unencrypted data files.
5. Privacy – Prying eyes should not be able to see anything they’re not supposed to, so testers will try to access protected information by circumventing access controls. Also, evaluate how well customer privacy is protected through policies and procedures.

7. Who can perform SOC 2 penetration testing?

To be qualified to perform SOC 2 penetration testing, the assessor must meet specific qualifications.

Firstly, they should have the necessary experience in assessing similar systems to yours, which means having a history of performing penetration tests on various other vendors’ products.

Secondly, they must also produce an accurate report that clearly states your compliance with each principle and provides helpful recommendations for improvement.

Finally, you want someone who has vast knowledge and experience with different types of threats so they can accurately simulate a real-world attack.

With that being said, if your company lacks the necessary in-house expertise, it’s best to outsource your pen testing needs to a qualified third party. This will ensure that the testing is done correctly and receive a comprehensive report outlining any vulnerabilities discovered. One such reputed security company is Astra Security, and they specialize in performing penetration tests for various compliances, including SOC 2.

Conclusion

While performing penetration tests is not technically required for SOC 2 compliance, they are highly recommended to help you identify vulnerabilities that would otherwise go unidentified. Not only will this help you strengthen your security posture, but it can also significantly reduce the risk of a potential data breach.