SOC 2, without the panic.
SOC 2 is now table stakes for any Canadian SaaS or service company selling into enterprise or regulated buyers. We design the control framework, build the evidence pipeline, run the readiness assessment, and coordinate directly with your auditor, so your first Type 2 report ships clean.
- Typical timeline
- 6–9 months
- Buyer expectation
- Type 2 at renewal
- Auditor
- Coordinated by us
What SOC 2 is, and isn't
SOC 2 is an attestation report from an independent CPA firm covering controls relevant to the AICPA's Trust Services Criteria: Security (always in scope), Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. It is not a certification, not a regulation, and not a substitute for ISO 27001 or NIST CSF, it's a customer-trust artefact that enterprise procurement asks for by name.
Type 1 reports on design at a point in time. Type 2 reports on operating effectiveness across a window. Renewals expect Type 2 with consecutive, gapless windows.
How we get you to a clean Type 2
- Scope. Decide which Trust Services Criteria are in scope, define system boundaries, and identify subservice organizations.
- Control design. A control framework calibrated to your stack, Cloud, SaaS, AI features, mapped to every applicable criterion.
- Evidence pipeline. Automated where possible (cloud configs, ticketing, identity), manual where it has to be. Quarterly evidence review cadence built in.
- Gap remediation. Policies, procedures, technical controls. We write what needs writing.
- Pre-audit dry run. Internal walkthrough against the auditor's expected requests.
- Auditor coordination. We manage the auditor relationship end-to-end so your team isn't context-switching every week.
Why the first SOC 2 fails (and how we prevent it)
- Evidence drift. Controls in place but evidence not captured consistently across the observation window, the #1 cause of qualified Type 2 reports.
- Over-scoping. Including Trust Services Criteria buyers don't actually require, multiplying audit effort.
- Generic policies. Templates that don't match how the company actually operates, auditors notice instantly.
- Tooling without process. A compliance platform purchased before anyone defined who owns each control.
SOC 2 for AI-native products
If your product uses or builds on AI, expect enterprise buyers to ask AI-specific questions inside the SOC 2 conversation: model access controls, training data governance, prompt logging, third-party LLM provider review. We extend the SOC 2 control set with AI governance controls (ISO/IEC 42001, NIST AI RMF) so a single program answers both.
Common questions
- What is SOC 2?
- SOC 2 is an attestation report issued by an independent CPA firm against the AICPA's Trust Services Criteria, Security (mandatory), Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. It demonstrates to enterprise buyers that your service organization operates effective controls over the data you handle.
- What's the difference between SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2?
- Type 1 reports on whether controls are designed effectively at a point in time. Type 2 reports on whether those controls operated effectively over a period, typically 3, 6, or 12 months. Enterprise buyers almost always require Type 2 for renewal.
- How long does SOC 2 take?
- Plan on 3–4 months of readiness work before the audit window opens, plus a minimum 3-month observation period for Type 2 (six months is more credible). For a small or mid-size SaaS company starting from scratch, six to nine months from kickoff to a signed Type 2 report is realistic.
- Can Auxlo issue the SOC 2 report?
- No, only a licensed CPA firm can issue a SOC 2 attestation. We are the readiness and program partner: we build the control framework, evidence pipeline, and internal practice so your auditor's job is mechanical. We coordinate directly with the auditor on your behalf.
- How does SOC 2 compare with ISO 27001?
- SOC 2 is attestation-based and focuses on operating effectiveness of selected Trust Services Criteria. ISO 27001 is a certification of a full Information Security Management System with mandatory clauses and Annex A controls. North American buyers usually ask for SOC 2; European buyers prefer ISO 27001. The underlying controls overlap by ~70%, we design programs that can produce both with one operating model.
Your next enterprise contract is waiting on this.
- Flat fee, total cost known up front
- Canadian data residency available on paid engagements