What is SOC 2? — UK Software Development Guide
Direct Answer
SOC 2 (System and Organisation Controls 2) is a voluntary compliance standard for service organisations that specifies how companies manage customer data. SOC 2 is an American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) standard covering five trust service principles: Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. SOC 2 Type I assesses design of controls; Type II assesses operating effectiveness over a period.
Soc2 in the UK
SOC 2 is increasingly requested by UK enterprise buyers, particularly US-headquartered multinationals, as a supplier security standard. Unlike ISO 27001 (the dominant UK/European standard), SOC 2 is US-centric. UK context: for purely UK enterprise sales, ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials are more recognisable and respected. For US enterprise or multinational buyers, SOC 2 Type II may be required. ClickMasters recommends: Cyber Essentials first (government and SME) → ISO 27001 (enterprise UK) → SOC 2 (US enterprise / multinational) — in order of return on investment for UK-focused businesses.
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