Everything your team needs to prepare for a SOC 2 audit — from defining scope and fixing control gaps to selecting an auditor and collecting evidence. Built by CyberSapiens’ certified compliance specialists.
The Basics
A SOC 2 compliance checklist is a structured guide that helps your organisation identify gaps, implement the right controls, and prepare for an independent audit — before the auditor arrives. Without one, teams often waste months fixing issues that a proper readiness process would have caught early.
SOC 2 audits assess whether your organisation has the right security controls in place to protect customer data. The audit itself is just the final step — the real work happens in the months before it. A structured checklist ensures your team covers every requirement across policies, technical controls, access management, vendor risk, incident response, and evidence collection.
Companies that go into an audit without proper preparation face delays, remediation rework, and in some cases, qualified audit opinions that damage client trust. CyberSapiens' SOC 2 readiness checklist is used by our team on every engagement — it is the same framework we apply when helping SaaS, FinTech, and technology companies achieve certification.
The Checklist
This is the same structured checklist CyberSapiens uses across every client engagement. Work through each step in order — skipping ahead is the most common reason companies face delays or rework during the audit phase.
Want the full checklist as a PDF? Download CyberSapiens' SOC 2 Readiness Checklist — all 7 steps in a printable, shareable format for your team.
Download Free PDFAudit Scope
Your SOC 2 audit scope is built around Trust Service Criteria — five categories defined by the AICPA that determine what controls your auditor will test. Security is the only mandatory one. The others are selected based on the nature of your services and what your clients actually require.
The foundation of every SOC 2 audit. Security controls protect your systems and data from unauthorised access, misuse, and breaches. Covers access management, risk assessment, change management, and system monitoring.
Ensures your systems are accessible and operational as required to meet service commitments. Covers uptime monitoring, disaster recovery, backup processes, and business continuity planning.
Protects information designated as confidential — such as business data, trade secrets, and client contracts — by controlling how it is collected, stored, accessed, and disposed of.
Verifies that your systems process data accurately, completely, and on time. Critical for platforms where incorrect processing would directly affect clients — such as payment systems or data transformation pipelines.
Governs how personal information is collected, used, retained, disclosed, and disposed of. Aligns closely with GDPR and other privacy regulations — particularly important for EdTech, healthcare, and HR platforms.
Not sure which criteria apply to your organisation? CyberSapiens maps your services, data flows, and client requirements to the right TSC scope during your free gap assessment — ensuring you include what matters without over-scoping your audit.
What You Need
A complete SOC 2 audit covers six core requirement areas. Each area needs documented policies, implemented controls, and collected evidence before your auditor arrives. Here is what every organisation needs to have in place.
Most organisations already have 40–60% of these controls in place informally — they just aren't documented or consistently applied. A gap assessment identifies exactly what exists, what needs strengthening, and what needs to be built from scratch before audit day.
Want to know where you stand? Get a free gap assessment — we'll map your current controls against every requirement above and deliver a report within 24 hours.
Start Free Assessment →Know the Difference
Both report types use the same Trust Service Criteria and require the same core controls. The difference is what your auditor tests — and for how long. Understanding this before you start saves significant time, cost, and rework.
Use this simple guide — or talk to our team for a free recommendation based on your specific situation.
Get CyberSapiens' structured SOC 2 readiness checklist as a PDF — the same document our compliance specialists use on every client engagement. Share it with your team, track progress, and arrive at your audit fully prepared.
Common Questions
Answers to the questions our team gets asked most often during initial consultations — straight answers, no jargon.
For SOC 2 Type 1, most organisations can complete the checklist, implement controls, and receive their audit report in 6–8 weeks with CyberSapiens. For SOC 2 Type 2, the process takes 9–14 months — the extra time is the mandatory observation period during which your auditor collects evidence of controls operating effectively over time.
No — Type 1 is not a prerequisite for Type 2. Many organisations choose to do Type 1 first when a client has a near-term deadline, then upgrade to Type 2 within 12 months. Others go directly to Type 2 if their enterprise clients require it. CyberSapiens will advise you on the right path based on your specific client requirements and timeline.
Security is mandatory for every SOC 2 audit. The other four — Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy — are optional and included based on your services and client requirements. SaaS companies typically add Availability. FinTech platforms often add Confidentiality and Processing Integrity. EdTech and HR platforms frequently add Privacy. Our team will map this during your free gap assessment.
At minimum you need the following documented and approved before audit day:
A gap assessment compares your current controls against SOC 2 requirements and identifies exactly what is missing or needs strengthening before the audit begins. It prevents you from discovering gaps during the audit — which causes delays and rework. CyberSapiens offers a free gap assessment with a written report delivered within 24 hours. Most clients already have 40–60% of controls in place informally.
SOC 2 audits must be performed by an independent, licensed CPA firm — not by the compliance consultant who helped you prepare. CyberSapiens handles all preparation, gap remediation, control implementation, and evidence collection. The independent audit is performed by Accorp Partners, our globally recognised CPA firm partner, ensuring a smooth handoff and zero failed audits to date.
SOC 2 costs vary based on report type, scope, and the number of Trust Service Criteria included. CyberSapiens operates on a fixed-price model — no hourly billing, no surprise invoices. You receive a complete cost breakdown after your free gap assessment. Our pricing covers everything from policy development and control implementation through to the final audit report.
Yes — 100% of CyberSapiens' SOC 2 engagements are delivered remotely. This includes the gap assessment, policy development, control implementation support, evidence collection, and the audit itself. We work with clients across India, Australia, and globally without requiring any on-site visits. Your team communicates with our specialists via regular video calls and a shared project workspace.
No — they are different frameworks with different purposes. SOC 2 is a US-based AICPA framework primarily required by US and Australian enterprise clients to assess security controls. ISO 27001 is an international standard for information security management systems, more commonly required in Europe, the Middle East, and global enterprise procurement. CyberSapiens is itself ISO 27001:2022 certified and helps clients achieve both frameworks, often simultaneously.
Once your SOC 2 report is issued, you can share it with clients, include it in RFP responses, and display your compliance status on your website and security trust page. SOC 2 Type 1 reports do not expire but are typically renewed annually. Type 2 reports cover a fixed observation period and require renewal to remain current. CyberSapiens supports clients through annual renewals to maintain compliance without starting from scratch each year.
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