The Benefits of SOC 2 Type II Certification
In 2024, Frost-Arnett Company is undergoing its sixth annual SOC 2 Type II (“SOC 2”) audit. SOC 2 is a third-party certification that assesses an organization’s cybersecurity controls. Designed by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), this framework outlines and evaluates how organizations should handle customer data. Each year, Frost-Arnett engages an independent, third-party audit firm to conduct a SOC 2 audit, which is comprehensive and evaluates both Frost-Arnett and its vendors.
The SOC 2 framework tests five key areas of control: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. It allows organizations to develop their own processes and procedures, which are then assessed against these control areas to ensure that client data is maintained to the highest standards. The annual certification process evaluates two critical aspects: the nature of the controls in place and the company’s adherence to those controls over a twelve-month period. Frost-Arnett must demonstrate not only that it has appropriate procedures to meet the control areas but also that it consistently adheres to these controls through random sampling and testing.
The benefits of the SOC 2 framework are numerous. For the organization, it provides an annual review of controls to ensure alignment with industry best practices, helping identify vulnerabilities and areas for improvement. For clients, it offers an independent evaluation that confirms Frost-Arnett’s compliance with its obligations as a business associate and ensures that consumer data is protected to the highest standards, which are subject to annual review and testing. The certification’s annual nature guarantees that Frost-Arnett continues to evolve alongside the ever-changing security landscape.