SOC 2 Type II
SOC 2 Type II — System and Organization Controls
The SaaS security standard expected by every enterprise buyer
SOC 2 Type II is an audit report that evaluates a service organization's internal controls over security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. For Canadian SaaS companies selling to enterprise or government customers, SOC 2 Type II is effectively a minimum requirement. It demonstrates 6-12 months of sustained control operation.
Who must comply with SOC 2 Type II?
SOC 2 is voluntary but functionally required for any SaaS company selling to US or Canadian enterprise, financial services, or healthcare customers. Government contracts and regulated-sector procurement increasingly require it.
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Key obligations under SOC 2 Type II
Security Trust Service Criteria
Implement the 9 Common Criteria covering logical and physical access, change management, risk mitigation, and incident management.
Access Controls
Enforce least-privilege access, MFA for all systems, access reviews, and automated provisioning/deprovisioning.
Change Management
Document and approve all changes to production systems. Maintain a change log that auditors can review.
Vendor Management
Assess the security posture of your critical third-party vendors and document the assessment process.
Incident Response
Have a documented and tested incident response plan. Demonstrate you can detect, respond to, and recover from security incidents.
Monitoring & Logging
Maintain continuous monitoring and log retention for all critical systems. Auditors will review evidence of active monitoring.
Penalties & enforcement
Frameworks that often overlap with SOC 2 Type II
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