Is SOC 2 a certification?

No. SOC 2 is an attestation report, not a certification. An independent CPA firm examines the controls and issues an opinion. Companies are correctly described as having a SOC 2 report, not as being SOC 2 certified.

What is the difference between SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2?

A SOC 2 Type 1 report evaluates whether controls are designed properly at one point in time. A SOC 2 Type 2 report evaluates whether those controls operated effectively over several months. Buyers usually prefer Type 2.

What is the difference between SOC 2 and ISO 27001?

SOC 2 is an attestation report based on AICPA criteria and is most common in North America. ISO 27001 is an international certification of an information security management system. Many vendors hold both, because buyers in different regions ask for different proof.

Is SOC 2 compliance required by law?

No. SOC 2 compliance is voluntary. It is required in practice, because enterprise customers write it into procurement and contracts. Laws such as the GDPR and the CCPA apply separately and are not replaced by a SOC 2 report.

What should you check in a vendor's SOC 2 report?

Check the report type and the period covered, whether the product you are buying is in scope, which criteria were included, any exceptions the auditor noted, and how subprocessors are handled. A Type 2 report from the last 12 months is the usual standard.

What Is SOC 2 Compliance? Type 1 vs Type 2 Explained

Q: What is the difference between SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3?

SOC 1 covers controls relevant to a customer's financial reporting. SOC 2 covers security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. SOC 3 covers the same ground as SOC 2 in a short public summary without detailed test results.

SOC 2 is the security report most B2B software buyers ask for before they sign. For any vendor that touches customer data, including AI sales tools that process calls and CRM records, it is table stakes.

This guide explains what SOC 2 compliance means, how the audit works, the difference between Type 1 and Type 2, and what to check when a vendor hands you a report.

What Is SOC 2 Compliance?

SOC 2 compliance means a service organization has been audited against the AICPA's Trust Services Criteria for how it protects customer data. A SOC 2 report is issued by an independent CPA firm and covers security, plus availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy where they apply.

SOC stands for System and Organization Controls. The framework was developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). SOC 2 is an attestation, not a certificate: an auditor examines the controls and gives an opinion.

The five Trust Services Criteria are:

Security. Protection against unauthorized access. This one is always required.
Availability. Systems are available as committed.
Processing integrity. Processing is complete, valid, accurate, and timely.
Confidentiality. Confidential information is protected.
Privacy. Personal information is collected, used, and disposed of properly.

SOC 2 Type 1 vs. Type 2

	Type 1	Type 2
Tests	Whether controls are designed properly	Whether controls operated effectively
Time frame	One point in time	A period, usually 3 to 12 months
Effort	Faster and cheaper	Longer and more rigorous
How buyers see it	A good start	The standard most enterprises ask for

How Does SOC 2 Compliance Work?

SOC 2 compliance follows a cycle of scoping, building controls, and independent testing.

Scope. Choose the systems in scope and which criteria apply. Security is always included.
Build controls. Put policies, access control, encryption, monitoring, vendor management, and incident response in place.
Assess readiness. Find and close gaps before the audit starts.
Audit. An independent CPA firm tests the controls. Type 1 tests design at a point in time. Type 2 tests operation over a period.
Report. The report contains the auditor's opinion, a description of the system, the controls, and the test results, including any exceptions.
Renew. Reports are renewed every year, and controls are monitored continuously in between.

Key Features of SOC 2 Compliance

Trust Services Criteria. Five criteria, with security mandatory.
Two report types. Type 1 for design, Type 2 for operating effectiveness.
Independent auditor. Only a licensed CPA firm can issue the report.
System description. The report explains what is in scope and how it works.
Test results and exceptions. Buyers can see what was tested and what failed.
Restricted distribution. Reports are usually shared under NDA.
Annual renewal. A report older than a year carries little weight.

Benefits of SOC 2 Compliance

Faster procurement. A Type 2 report answers most of a security questionnaire.
Buyer trust. Independent testing carries more weight than a vendor's own claims.
Disciplined security. Preparing for the audit forces real controls and ownership.
Lower breach risk. Monitoring and access controls reduce exposure.
Access to enterprise deals. Many large buyers will not proceed without it.

SOC 2 Compliance Use Cases

Enterprise procurement. Security teams review the report before approving a vendor.
Evaluating AI vendors. Buyers check SOC 2 before letting a tool process call recordings or CRM data. For AI tools, also ask about data retention and whether customer data is used to train models.
Partnerships and due diligence. Partners, investors, and acquirers review SOC 2 reports to assess risk.
Internal improvement. Companies use the audit to mature their own security program.

How ASPR fits. ASPR processes sales conversations and CRM data, so a security review is part of every evaluation. ASPR publishes its security practices and compliance documentation on its Security page and Trust Center.

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Frequently Asked Questions About SOC 2 Compliance

Related glossary terms: Security & Compliance, Enterprise AI Security, AI Data Privacy, Zero Data Retention,Enterprise AI Governance
Existing pages:ASPR Security,ASPR Trust Center

Sources

AICPA, SOC 2 reporting and the Trust Services Criteria (aicpa-cima.com)
GDPR, Regulation (EU) 2016/679
California Attorney General: CCPA