Key Takeaways
Automation Assists, Doesn’t Replace: While SOC 2® compliance software can streamline processes like evidence collection, monitoring, and workflow management, it is not a substitute for an experienced human assessor who can provide professional judgment.
Lacks Custom Security Insight: Compliance software is limited in its ability to address unique security needs. It generally cannot analyze the complexity of a specific organization’s security environment, consider industry-specific requirements, provide customized risk analysis, or identify all necessary in-scope components.
Risk of False Confidence: A significant organizational challenge of adopting these tools is the potential for creating a false sense of confidence. Organizations may over-rely on the automated platform, making it easier to overlook critical control gaps or poorly designed security measures.
Understanding SOC 2® Software
The number of new software options that promise to streamline SOC 2®* compliance has exploded in recent years – but are they really making compliance easier?
There is no magic answer, but while SOC 2® compliance software can help you get a better understanding of what your compliance needs are, it’s no substitute for an experienced human assessor.
We’ll be exploring SOC 2® software, as well as the pros and cons, over the course of our new blog series.
SOC 2®* Compliance Software: An Emerging Industry
SOC 2® assessment software is part of an emerging industry that promotes the automation of evidence collection, monitoring, framework alignment, workflow management, and more. In some cases, this type of software may enable streamlined data collection without extra effort from your service organization.
This kind of software is often popular with organizations undergoing a SOC 2® assessment for the first time and offers a number of templatized tools meant to support the assessment process.
Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, SOC 2® assessment software won’t be able to:
- Consider the necessary security requirements of your business or industry.
- Analyze the complexity of your unique security environment.
- Examine vulnerabilities within your systems or controls.
- Provide customized risk analysis.
- Identify in-scope components.
- Adjust according to your security controls.
- Assess your market offering or industry.
- Scale with your organization as it matures.
Speak to a Compliance Specialist.
SOC 2® Organizational Challenges
There can also be potential challenges when adopting this kind of software on an organizational level. For instance, user turnover within your organization could result in a loss of knowledge. The tool could add additional overhead in regards to internal staff maintenance and training.
Most importantly, it could create a false sense of confidence within your organization, even if your security controls are not designed properly. Service organizations might over rely on their SOC 2® compliance platform, making it easier to overlook gaps or issues.
Rely on an Experienced Team for SOC 2®
Automated software is not necessarily the one step tool you may have heard about. While it can certainly have its place in the compliance process, there are other considerations that a qualified human assessor may be better equipped to address. If you’re ready to get in touch with an experienced team, contact Auditwerx today.
FAQs
What are the main advertised benefits of using SOC 2® compliance software?
SOC 2® compliance software is part of an emerging industry that promotes the automation of several assessment-related tasks. It promises to streamline the collection of evidence, simplify compliance monitoring, align frameworks, and manage workflows, often using pre-configured, templatized tools.
What essential functions related to a security assessment are outside the capability of compliance software?
Compliance software lacks the ability to address customized, nuanced security concerns. It cannot: analyze vulnerabilities, provide tailored risk analysis, identify all necessary in-scope components, or assess how the organization’s unique market offering or industry requirements affect its controls.
What organizational challenges can arise from adopting SOC 2 compliance software?
Organizational challenges include the possibility of staff turnover leading to a loss of knowledge related to the tool, increased internal overhead for maintenance and training, and, most critically, the risk of staff over-relying on the software, which can lead to overlooking critical security control gaps.
Who is the typical user or organization interested in adopting SOC 2® assessment software?
SOC 2® assessment software is particularly popular among organizations that are undergoing the compliance process for the first time. These tools offer a suite of templatized resources and structured workflows intended to support organizations as they begin their initial assessment preparation.
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