Growth-stage companies
A first SOC 2 or ISO 27001 report has become a condition of closing enterprise business.
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Certification Readiness
Certification readiness that holds up in the examination
Enterprise customers, partners, and investors want proof that your security program works. We assess what you have against the standard you need, design the controls and evidence that close the difference, and prepare you for the examination. The attestation itself is issued by an independent auditor. Our role is to get you ready and represent your interests throughout.
Frameworks and standards in this practice
- SOC 2
- ISO 27001
- ISO 27701
- PCI DSS
- HITRUST
Who it is for
Three situations this practice answers
Established organizations
Several frameworks apply at once and the evidence is assembled by hand every year.
Companies already in an examination
An audit is underway and the findings, the evidence, or the auditor relationship needs managing.
What it solves
The problems clients bring to this practice
- A customer asks for a report you do not have, and the deal waits.
- Controls are operating, but nothing produces evidence an auditor will accept.
- Policies were written for an audit rather than for how the company works, so they fail on inspection.
- Overlapping frameworks are run as separate projects and the same control is documented three times.
- A compliance automation platform was purchased and the gaps it leaves were never closed.
What you receive
Named deliverables, not a summary of findings
Every engagement in this practice produces artifacts somebody outside your organization can read and rely on.
- A readiness assessment measured control by control against the standard you have chosen.
- A gap register with an owner and a remediation path for every finding.
- Control design documentation and an evidence architecture stating where each artifact comes from and how often it is produced.
- Policies, standards, and procedures written to your operating model.
- One control set mapped across every framework that applies, so a control is documented once.
- An audit plan, an assembled evidence package, and coordination with the auditor through to the issued report.
How an engagement works
The sequence, and what each step produces
Described as a sequence rather than a schedule. Duration depends on scope, and is agreed in the statement of work.
01
Scope
Establish which standard applies, what is in scope, and what the examination will require.
02
Assess
Measure the current control environment against that standard and record every gap.
03
Remediate
Your team closes the gaps, with control design, policy, and evidence guidance from us.
04
Examine
The independent auditor performs the examination. We prepare the evidence and represent your interests throughout.
Services
13 services in this practice
Each has its own page setting out what it covers, who it is for, and what you receive.
- Security Program Baseline and RoadmapEstablish where your security program stands and what to fix first: a baseline assessment and a risk-prioritized roadmap aligned to your stack and goals.Certification
- SOC 2 Readiness and AccelerationReach a clean SOC 2 Type I or Type II report faster, with readiness assessment, control design, evidence architecture, and auditor coordination through to the issued report.Certification
- ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 Implementation and Certification ReadinessISMS and PIMS implementation carried through certification: scope, risk assessment, statement of applicability, internal audit, and stage one and two support.Certification
- PCI DSS ReadinessPrepare for your PCI DSS assessment: cardholder data environment analysis, segmentation review, scope definition, gap assessment, and QSA or SAQ preparation.Certification
- HITRUST and Sector Certification ReadinessReadiness for HITRUST CSF and the other sector certifications your market requires, with control mapping, gap assessment, and a remediation plan.Certification
- Policy, Standard, and Procedure DevelopmentSecurity policies, standards, and procedures written for how your company actually operates, built to satisfy auditors and customers alike.Certification
- Control Design and ImplementationFramework requirements translated into operating controls that fit your technology stack, with evidence designed to be collected automatically.Certification
- Security Tooling Strategy and ArchitectureSelect and sequence the security tools your program needs across identity, endpoint, detection, and data protection, based on total cost to operate.Certification
- Compliance Platform ReviewAssess the compliance platform you already run: whether its configuration supports the controls your program needs, and whether you are getting the value you pay for.Certification
- Audit Readiness and Auditor LiaisonAudit readiness and auditor coordination for SOC 2, PCI, ISO, and regulatory examinations, using our network of independent audit firms or your own auditor.Certification
- Internal Audit PartnershipAn introduction to one of our preferred audit partners when you are ready to be audited, chosen for their experience with first-round audits.Certification
- Customer Assurance and Trust ProgramEstablish a process for the inbound third-party risk reviews you receive, so your team can answer questionnaires and keep the material customers expect ready to hand.Certification
- Enterprise Readiness AccelerationRemove the security and compliance obstacles blocking named enterprise deals, working from the buyer's actual requirements back to what you must show.Certification
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does SOC 2 readiness take?
Timelines depend on your starting point and the report type. A company with basic controls in place can often be ready for a SOC 2 Type I examination within a few months, while a Type II report also requires an observation period, commonly three to twelve months, during which controls must operate as designed. We set a realistic timeline after a readiness assessment.
Do you issue the SOC 2 report or the PCI DSS assessment?
No. SOC 2 reports are issued by independent CPA firms and PCI DSS assessments are performed by Qualified Security Assessors. We prepare you, coordinate the engagement, and represent your interests throughout, working with auditors from our network or with your existing firm.
Which framework should we start with?
Start with the framework your customers and market require. United States software buyers most often ask for SOC 2, international and regulated buyers often prefer ISO 27001, and any company that stores, processes, or transmits payment card data must address PCI DSS. Because many controls overlap, we design one control set that maps to several frameworks.
Related
Practices most often engaged alongside
Cyber Risk and Maturity
Measure maturity against NIST CSF or CIS, quantify exposure in dollars, and know what to fix first.
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Technical assessment behind privacy, healthcare, financial, and government obligations, often under counsel.
View practicevCISO and Fractional Leadership
Senior security leadership at the commitment level you need, without a full-time executive hire.
View practiceStart with a confidential conversation
Thirty minutes on where your program stands against this standard, and what would have to be true for the answer to hold up.