SOC 2 Type II Compliance Framework

A SOC 2 Type II Compliance Framework is an attestation-based service organization trust service compliance framework that evaluates service organization controls over time periods.

• AKA: Service Organization Control 2 Type II Framework, SOC II Type 2 Framework, AICPA SOC 2 Type II Standard.
• Context:
  • It can typically assess Trust Service Criteria including security criteria, availability criteria, processing integrity criteria, confidentiality criteria, and privacy criteria.
  • It can typically require Continuous Control Monitoring over audit periods ranging from six-month periods to twelve-month periods.
  • It can typically mandate Independent Auditor Assessments by certified public accounting firms.
  • It can typically generate SOC 2 Type II Reports containing auditor opinions and control descriptions.
  • It can typically evaluate Control Design Effectiveness and control operating effectiveness.
  • ...
  • It can often integrate Complementary User Entity Controls for shared responsibility models.
  • It can often address Multi-Tenant Architecture Security in cloud service environments.
  • It can often incorporate Subservice Organization Controls for third-party service providers.
  • It can often support Continuous Compliance Monitoring through automated control testing.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Basic SOC 2 Type II Compliance Framework to being a Comprehensive SOC 2 Type II Compliance Framework, depending on its trust service criteria scope.
  • It can range from being a Single-Criteria SOC 2 Type II Compliance Framework to being a All-Criteria SOC 2 Type II Compliance Framework, depending on its trust service criteria coverage.
  • ...
  • It can complement ISO/IEC 27001 Standards for information security management.
  • It can support AI System Security Compliance Standards for AI service provider attestation.
  • It can integrate with Cloud Security Compliance Frameworks for cloud service validation.
  • It can inform Vendor Risk Assessment Processes for third-party service evaluation.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Cloud Service Provider SOC 2 Type II Compliance Frameworks, such as:
    • AWS SOC 2 Type II Compliance covering cloud infrastructure security controls.
    • Microsoft Azure SOC 2 Type II Compliance addressing cloud platform trust criteria.
    • Google Cloud SOC 2 Type II Compliance validating cloud service control effectiveness.
  • SaaS Provider SOC 2 Type II Compliance Frameworks, such as:
    • Salesforce SOC 2 Type II Compliance for CRM service security.
    • Slack SOC 2 Type II Compliance for collaboration platform controls.
    • Dropbox SOC 2 Type II Compliance for file storage service security.
  • AI Service Provider SOC 2 Type II Compliance Frameworks, such as:
    • OpenAI SOC 2 Type II Compliance for AI API service controls.
    • Anthropic SOC 2 Type II Compliance for AI model service security.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • SOC 2 Type I Compliance Framework, which evaluates control design at single point in time.
  • SOC 1 Compliance Framework, which focuses on financial reporting controls rather than trust service criteria.
  • ISO/IEC 27001 Certification, which is a management system certification rather than attestation report.
• See: AICPA Trust Service Criteria, Cloud Security Alliance Framework, ISO/IEC 27001 Standard, AI System Data Governance Framework, Information Security Management System, Continuous Control Monitoring System, Third-Party Risk Management Framework.

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