Key Takeaways
- Scope Must Be Customized: A quality compliance review requires the assessor to discuss and tailor the scope, determining which specific requirements (such as the SOC 2® Trust Services Criteria) are non-applicable based on the service organization’s unique needs.
- Generic Reports Risk Invalidation: Simply providing a templated or generic list of evidence artifacts without a thorough understanding of the organization’s services, industry, and tech stack can result in a compliance report that is lacking and potentially invalidated.
- Control Ownership Stays Internal: The organization maintains control and ownership of its chosen control catalog regardless of the report type; the assessor’s responsibility is to request and evaluate information about those specific, pre-determined cybersecurity practices and their implementation.
The Importance of a True Compliance Partner
When it comes to compliance reporting it’s important to have an assessment partner that is just as invested in your organization’s success as you are. A generic list of evidence artifacts doesn’t properly address your organization’s unique concerns and security needs, leading to a compliance report that is lacking in the essential information your clients are looking for.
If your assessor doesn’t do the following, it’s time to start thinking about whether they are providing the appropriate services to help you meet your compliance goals.
Did your assessor discuss the scope of your assessment with you?
Your assessor needs to be aware of the requirements your organization has deemed non-applicable based on your unique needs. For example, if your organization is undergoing a SOC 2® assessment, did your assessor discuss the Trust Services Criteria with you to get a better understanding of which of the criteria needs to be examined under the scope of your business practices?
Speak to a Compliance Specialist.
Did your assessor take the time to develop a thorough understanding of your business practices, industry, services offered, tech stack, etc.?
Receiving a generic or templated report as quickly as possible doesn’t help support your long-term security goals and could be invalidated – possibly duplicating efforts requiring additional time and adding to the cost.
Did your assessor request information about your organization’s specific controls and the implementation of your cybersecurity practices?
Your organization’s control catalog is not determined by your assessor. You maintain control and ownership of your chosen control catalog, not your assessor, regardless of report type.
Time for a New Assessor? Trust Auditwerx.
If you are ready for a true security reporting and compliance partner, contact Auditwerx today.
FAQs
A generic list does not properly address an organization’s unique security needs, leading to a compliance report that lacks essential information and risks being invalidated, potentially requiring additional time and cost for duplicated efforts.
An assessor must take time to develop a thorough understanding of the organization’s business practices, industry, services offered, and technology stack to ensure the assessment is relevant and robust.
The assessor must discuss the Trust Services Criteria with the organization to gain a better understanding of which criteria need to be examined under the scope of the business practices and which requirements the organization has deemed non-applicable.
The organization maintains control and ownership of its chosen control catalog; the assessor’s role is to request information about the organization’s specific controls and the implementation of its cybersecurity practices.
About the Author
Auditwerx Team
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