SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2)

Definition

SOC 2 is an attestation framework developed by the AICPA that evaluates how service organizations manage customer data across five Trust Services Criteria: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. A licensed CPA firm audits the subject organization and issues a report confirming whether its controls meet the standard. For CPA firms handling sensitive client financial data, achieving SOC 2 certification can serve as a competitive differentiator and a verifiable response to client security inquiries.