Question 1

How do I know which compliance framework my company needs?

Accepted Answer

The right framework depends on your industry, customer requirements, and geographic reach. SOC 2 is most common for SaaS companies, HIPAA for healthcare, PCI DSS for payment processing, and ISO 27001 for international businesses. Many enterprise customers require SOC 2, while EU operations typically need GDPR compliance. We offer a free assessment to identify exactly which frameworks you need.

Question 2

How long does it typically take to achieve compliance?

Accepted Answer

Timeline varies by framework and your current security posture. On average: SOC 2 Type I takes 1-3 months, SOC 2 Type II adds 3-6 months of monitoring, ISO 27001 takes 1-3 months, and HIPAA takes 3-6 months. Our accelerated approach often reduces these timelines by 30-40%.

Question 3

What's the difference between SOC 2 Type I and Type II?

Accepted Answer

SOC 2 Type I is a point-in-time assessment that evaluates the design of your security controls at a specific date. Type II tests the operating effectiveness of those controls over a period (typically 3-12 months). Most enterprise customers require Type II because it demonstrates sustained security practices.

Question 4

Can we pursue multiple certifications simultaneously?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it's often more efficient. Many frameworks share overlapping controls—up to 60% between SOC 2 and ISO 27001, for example. Our unified compliance approach maps common controls across frameworks, reducing duplicate effort and accelerating your path to multi-framework compliance.

Question 5

What does the compliance process look like?

Accepted Answer

Our process follows four phases: 1) Assessment—we evaluate your current security posture and identify gaps. 2) Remediation—we help implement missing controls and policies. 3) Preparation—we conduct readiness assessments and mock audits. 4) Certification—we support you through the formal audit process. Throughout, we handle documentation, evidence collection, and auditor coordination.

Question 6

How much of my team's time will this require?

Accepted Answer

We design our engagements to minimize disruption. Typically, you'll need a primary point of contact (5-10 hours/week) and occasional input from IT, HR, and engineering (2-4 hours/week each). Our team handles the heavy lifting—policy writing, control implementation, evidence gathering, and auditor management.

Question 7

Do we need to hire a full-time compliance person?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. Many growing companies use our ongoing compliance management service instead of hiring internally. We act as your fractional compliance team, maintaining your certifications, updating policies, and handling audits. This often costs less than a single full-time hire while providing broader expertise.

Question 8

What tools and software will we need?

Accepted Answer

Requirements depend on your current stack and chosen framework. Common needs include: endpoint protection, access management, vulnerability scanning, and logging/monitoring. We help you leverage existing tools where possible and recommend cost-effective solutions for gaps. We're tool-agnostic and work with whatever fits your environment.

Question 9

How much does compliance certification cost?

Accepted Answer

Total cost includes consulting fees, tool investments, and auditor fees. Consulting typically ranges from $20K-$100K depending on scope and complexity. Audit fees range from $15K-$50K for SOC 2, $20K-$60K for ISO 27001. Tool costs vary based on your existing infrastructure. We provide detailed cost breakdowns during our assessment and often identify ways to reduce total investment.

Question 10

What's the ROI of getting certified?

Accepted Answer

Compliance unlocks significant revenue opportunities. Our clients report: 40% faster enterprise sales cycles, access to deals previously blocked by security requirements, reduced security questionnaire burden (from hours to minutes), and lower cyber insurance premiums. One client closed $2.4M in enterprise deals within weeks of SOC 2 certification.

Question 11

Are there ongoing costs after initial certification?

Accepted Answer

Yes, compliance is continuous. Annual costs include: surveillance audits (typically 50-70% of initial audit cost), ongoing monitoring and control maintenance, policy updates and training, and tool subscriptions. Our managed compliance service bundles these into predictable monthly costs.

Question 12

Do you offer payment plans or phased approaches?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We understand cash flow matters, especially for startups. We offer milestone-based payments, phased implementation approaches, and can prioritize quick wins that unlock revenue while working toward full certification. Let's discuss what works for your situation.

Question 13

Do we need to be using specific cloud providers?

Accepted Answer

No. We work with AWS, GCP, Azure, and hybrid/on-premise environments. Most major cloud providers offer compliance-friendly configurations and inherit certain controls. We help you leverage your provider's compliance features to reduce your burden.

Question 14

Will compliance require changes to our product or codebase?

Accepted Answer

Possibly minor changes. Common requirements include: implementing audit logging, adding access controls, encrypting data at rest and in transit, and establishing secure development practices. We work with your engineering team to integrate these efficiently without disrupting development velocity.

Question 15

How do you handle companies with legacy systems?

Accepted Answer

Legacy systems aren't blockers—they require thoughtful control design. We've helped companies achieve compliance with 20-year-old systems by implementing compensating controls, network segmentation, and enhanced monitoring. The key is demonstrating effective risk management, not having the newest technology.

Question 16

What about compliance for AI/ML products?

Accepted Answer

AI introduces unique compliance considerations around data handling, model governance, and algorithmic transparency. We have specific expertise in AI compliance, addressing emerging frameworks and customer concerns around AI security and ethics. This is increasingly critical for enterprise AI sales.

Question 17

What happens during an audit?

Accepted Answer

Auditors review your documentation, interview key personnel, examine evidence of control operation, and test a sample of transactions. We prepare you thoroughly—conducting mock audits, preparing staff for interviews, and organizing evidence. Most clients describe audits as 'surprisingly smooth' after our preparation.

Question 18

What if we fail an audit?

Accepted Answer

With proper preparation, this is rare. If findings occur, they're categorized by severity. Minor findings can often be addressed quickly without affecting certification. Major findings may require remediation and re-testing. Our 98% first-attempt pass rate reflects our thorough preparation approach.

Question 19

How do we maintain compliance after certification?

Accepted Answer

Compliance requires ongoing attention: continuous control monitoring, regular policy reviews, employee training, vendor assessments, and annual audits. Our managed compliance service handles all of this, ensuring you stay certified without building an internal compliance team.

Question 20

Can certifications be revoked?

Accepted Answer

Certifications can be questioned if you fail to maintain controls or experience significant security incidents. Regular surveillance audits verify ongoing compliance. Our continuous monitoring and maintenance services ensure you're always audit-ready and your certifications remain valid.

Question 21

What's the difference between SOC 1 and SOC 2?

Accepted Answer

SOC 1 focuses on controls relevant to financial reporting—important if you process transactions affecting clients' financial statements. SOC 2 covers security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. Most SaaS companies need SOC 2; financial service processors often need both.

Question 22

Is ISO 27001 better than SOC 2?

Accepted Answer

Neither is 'better'—they serve different purposes. SOC 2 is dominant in North America and increasingly global SaaS. ISO 27001 is the standard for European and international enterprises. Many companies pursue both to maximize market access. They share significant control overlap, making dual certification efficient.

Question 23

Do we need HIPAA if we're not a healthcare company?

Accepted Answer

If you handle Protected Health Information (PHI) for healthcare organizations, you likely need HIPAA compliance as a Business Associate. This includes: health tech platforms, benefits administrators, analytics providers serving healthcare, and cloud services storing PHI. We help determine your HIPAA obligations.

Question 24

What is CSA STAR and when do we need it?

Accepted Answer

CSA STAR (Security, Trust, Assurance, and Risk) is specifically for cloud service providers. It builds on ISO 27001 or SOC 2 with cloud-specific controls. Enterprise cloud customers increasingly request CSA STAR, especially for sensitive workloads. It demonstrates mature cloud security practices.

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