Question 1

What is the primary difference between SOC 2 Type I and Type II reports?

Accepted Answer

A SOC 2 Type I report evaluates the design of an organization's security controls at a single point in time. A SOC 2 Type II report assesses both the design and operating effectiveness of controls over a defined observation window, typically 3 to 12 months.

Question 2

Which Trust Services Criteria are mandatory for SOC 2?

Accepted Answer

The Security criterion (Common Criteria) is mandatory for every SOC 2 report. The remaining four criteria—Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy—are optional and included based on system scope and customer commitments.

Question 3

Who is qualified to issue an official SOC 2 attestation report?

Accepted Answer

Only independent certified public accountants (CPAs) or licensed CPA firms accredited by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) can issue an official SOC 2 attestation report under SSAE 18 standards.

Question 4

How long is a SOC 2 Type II report considered valid?

Accepted Answer

SOC 2 reports cover a historical review period and are generally considered current for 12 months from the end of the examination period by enterprise customers and auditors.

Question 5

What evidence is required for SOC 2 access reviews?

Accepted Answer

Common Criteria CC6.1 and CC6.2 require documented evidence of periodic access authorization reviews, timely deprovisioning of departed personnel, and enforcement of multi-factor authentication for all privileged accounts.

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