ISO 27001 vs SOC 2: How (and Why) to Obtain Both
If your organization has scaled to work with clients in and outside of the U.S., you might be curious about the benefits of a compliance framework that meets both national and international regulatory requirements. Two compliance standards to consider are ISO 27001 and SOC 2, which both help your organization meet compliance requirements and keep your customer data safe.
BARR Advisory is proud to say we’re one of a handful of firms in the nation that meet the requirements of the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to issue both ISO 27001 certifications and SOC 2 reports, respectively*.
This means that organizations seeking ISO 27001 certification and a SOC 2 audit now have a unified team of auditors to perform both assessments.
Let’s take a look at some of the differences between an ISO 27001 certification and a SOC 2 report, the benefits of obtaining both, and how BARR will serve as your audit partner, guiding you through the process to achieve both successfully.
ISO 27001 vs SOC 2
While the two frameworks cover similar topics, one big difference between ISO 27001 and SOC 2 engagements is that specific standards can be certified under the ISO 27001 series, so the end result for your organization is ISO 27001 certification. SOC 2 audits result in an attestation report rather than certification, so your organization would use the term “SOC 2 compliance,” not certification.
Another key distinction between ISO 27001 and SOC 2 is their difference in scope and audience. As an internationally accepted standard, ISO 27001 is also great for organizations serving clients abroad. It includes specific requirements around documentation and policy and contains 93 Annex A control recommendations. ISO 27001 keeps your Information Security Management System (ISMS) up-to-date and is flexible to meet your organization’s specific environment.
SOC 2 is more common for organizations based in the U.S. or with U.S.-based customers, and uses the recently refined AICPA trust services criteria (security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy) to meet the needs of a broad range of users that require detailed information and assurance about the security controls of service organizations. SOC 2 can be obtained as a Type 1 or Type 2 report, and resulting reports can be distributed to your organization’s stakeholders. SOC 2 focuses on ensuring that controls mitigate risks effectively.
When choosing the right framework—or both—to best support your organization, you’ll want to consider available resources, organization complexity, location, and how much time you have to go through the audit process.
Achieving Both ISO 27001 and SOC 2—How it Works
So, how does it work to audit against two frameworks through one engagement? While certifying toward ISO 27001 takes a certain amount of initial planning, its flexibility means most requirements will map over seamlessly with SOC 2 controls.
Let’s explore the details of our proven process to help clients achieve ISO 27001 certification and SOC 2 compliance.
Timeframes
Certification to ISO 27001 consists of two stages, both including walkthroughs, a review of nonconformities, and a remediation plan. Following preparation for the two-stage ISO audit, stage one generally takes two to three days to complete. Stage two can be achieved for most organizations within one to two weeks. BARR will then issue an internal report and public-facing certification, suitable for three years with surveillance audits.
The duration for SOC 2 reporting depends on the type you acquire. If your organization has previously documented your controls through an automation partner, Type 1 reports may be performed immediately. Type 1 reports offer a point-in-time service, testing your design on a specific date. Type 2 reports are generally audited throughout a three to 12-month period.
While ISO 27001 certification requires a certain amount of days with your auditor, BARR’s team of experts will leverage our resources to map SOC 2 control requirements during your ISO 27001 meetings. This allows your organization to bypass additional walkthroughs to obtain a SOC 2 Type 2 report simultaneously, saving you countless hours to achieve two of the highest levels of security.
Benefits
Having ISO 27001 certification and a SOC 2 attestation report under your belt increases consumer trust, and you’ll stand out as an organization that takes information security seriously while instilling the most confidence in your clients.
Benefits of obtaining both ISO 27001 and SOC 2:
- Save time and resources to achieve information security and compliance
- Increase your customer trust
- Enhance organizational brand value
- Avoid fines and penalties
- Remain transparent with stakeholders
- Assure that controls are operating effectively
- Keep up-to-date with regular requirements
When it comes to obtaining both ISO 27001 certification and a SOC 2 report, Attest Manager at BARR Marc Gold said, “Though they are two completely separate audits, working with SOC 2 auditors who are also certified ISO Lead Auditors can make the process feel more like one and a half audits.”
Results
That was the experience that JourneyTrack, a leading customer journey management platform, had when working with BARR Advisory to achieve SOC 2 and ISO 27001 compliance. The SaaS firm had embedded security and compliance into its operations since its founding with SOC 2 attestation. As they expanded beyond the U.S., they recognized the need for ISO 27001 certification, which is more widely recognized internationally—especially in Europe, where customer experience management is more advanced.
As a rapidly growing company in a highly competitive space, JourneyTrack knew they needed a partner who could optimize resources to help their globally distributed team navigate the complexities of obtaining both attestations simultaneously while minimizing the impact on day-to-day operations and avoiding potential misalignments caused by working with multiple auditors.
By leveraging BARR’s coordinated audit approach, JourneyTrack not only saved valuable time and resources throughout the attestation process, but also ensured that they received consistent, cohesive guidance from a single point of contact throughout the engagement.
“The BARR team’s expertise in both SOC Type 2 and ISO was incredibly valuable in guiding us through the requirements of both standards, clarifying where they aligned and where they diverged,” said Ania Rodriguez, CEO and founder of JourneyTrack.
BARR’s Quickbase tool further enhanced the experience for JourneyTrack’s team by providing full visibility into the audit’s progress, helping to streamline SOC 2 mapping to ISO 27001, and facilitating streamlined data collection and clear, proactive communication across time zones.
“Our team was impressed by BARR’s flexibility and adaptability regarding our schedule,” Rodriguez said. “With team members based in Argentina, navigating time differences and scheduling conflicts was made much easier thanks to BARR’s accommodating approach.”
Through its partnership with BARR, JourneyTrack:
- Achieved compliance against two of the highest-regarded security frameworks, ISO 27001 and SOC 2;
- Reduced friction in its sales cycle;
- Increased customer trust, especially in international markets;
- Improved their market positioning; and,
- Gained a competitive advantage.
Beyond achieving compliance, the process reinforced JourneyTrack’s commitment to data security and operational excellence. The positive impact on customer satisfaction and retention, along with improved market positioning, underscores how BARR’s coordinated audit approach enabled JourneyTrack to meet compliance standards in a way that directly supported their mission to humanize the customer experience.
Beyond ISO 27001 and SOC 2—What’s Next?
Another benefit of partnering with BARR for SOC 2 and ISO 27001 compliance is that our team is ready to grow with your organization as your security and compliance goals change. BARR is part of an elite group of auditing firms that is qualified to audit against several of the highest-regarded industry standards and frameworks pertaining to consumer privacy and data protection, including not only SOC 2 and ISO 27001, but also HITRUST, PCI DSS, and more.
For instance, organizations that have already achieved ISO 27001 certification can consider adding standards that serve as extensions to the ISO 27001 framework, such as:
- ISO 27701, which outlines requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an organization’s privacy information management system (PIMS).
- ISO 27017, which places an enhanced focus on cloud security.
- ISO 27018, which adds 24 new security controls related to protecting personally identification information (PII) in the cloud.
BARR can also assist organizations in preparing for certification to ISO 42001, a recently developed framework designed to help organizations safely and ethically design and manage artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
For fast-growing organizations aiming to mature their compliance programs and maintain a robust, resilient security posture, finding an auditing partner with the tools and qualifications to grow with you is crucial to keep your momentum going. That’s why Kinsta, a leading WordPress hosting provider, worked with BARR to complete a SOC 2 report and ISO 27001, 27017, and 27018 certifications.
To accelerate its global expansion and meet the growing security demands of enterprise clients, Kinsta aimed to add these ISO certifications to its existing compliance program, which had previously focused on SOC 2. Achieving compliance across multiple frameworks presented its own challenges, however. Kinsta had never undergone an ISO audit before, and the global, fully remote nature of Kinsta’s team added a new layer of complexity, requiring a flexible approach to scheduling and audit management. With these hurdles in mind, Kinsta needed an audit partner who could simplify the process while providing expertise in both SOC and ISO frameworks.
Kinsta found that partner in BARR, who tailored their approach to meet Kinsta’s unique needs as a fully remote, distributed team. With BARR’s expert support, Kinsta’s team was able to align their internal practices and security controls with complex ISO requirements, ensuring they were set up for success in the auditing process.
“It was just easy,” said Erik Van Dijk, Head of IT at Kinsta. “We didn’t spend hours and hours on calls—it was very streamlined, we got everything we needed done.”
Through its partnership with BARR Advisory, Kinsta successfully achieved a SOC 2 report and ISO 27001, ISO 27017, and ISO 27018 certifications, strengthening its data security program and accelerating growth.
“Achieving compliance has significantly boosted customer trust and satisfaction at Kinsta,” said Nathan Bliss, the firm’s chief sales officer. “Our SOC 2 report and ISO certifications have become key differentiators in the market, giving our customers confidence in our security and data management practices.”
For organizations like Kinsta, BARR can help you refine your governance approach to fit your business objectives and assist with every step of the compliance process, from risk assessment to certification.
Contact us for a free consultation to learn more about BARR’s “test once, report many” approach with ISO 27001 and SOC 2.