SOC 2 Audits – California

SOC 2 Examinations – California

California business owners need to ensure sensitive data is protected, especially when it comes to the financial and personal identification information (e.g. social security numbers) of customers and clients. Ensuring there are robust internal controls and cybersecurity policies and practices in place to protect against a breach is essential. Increasingly, many clients and customers are asking their vendors for a Systems Organization Control (SOC 2) Audit Report as a condition for doing business with them, or, in the case of contract renewals, continuing these relationships. A SOC 2 Report is an opinion on the effectiveness and design of an organization’s internal controls that meet the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. In essence, it is a statement verifying the effectiveness of an organization’s risk management efforts to protect the information of its customers and clients.

California SOC 2 Audits

McKonly & Asbury provides SOC audits to companies in  California and beyond. Typically, we work with organizations that use or store sensitive financial and personal data that cybercriminals want. Our clients include data centers, loan servicing companies, insurance companies, medical claims processors, payroll providers, and more. Broadly, any organization that provides services to customers that directly impact the customer’s financial statements would be a candidate for such a report. Service organizations should evaluate their needs along with their customers’ reporting needs prior to determining the type of SOC report that is applicable to their needs. There are two types of SOC 2 audits:

• SOC 2 Type I – A SOC 2 Type I report is an opinion on management’s description of a service organization’s system and the suitability of their design of controls that meet the AICPA’s Trust Service Criteria for Security. It can also address Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and/or Privacy, depending on your customers’ requirements. The report comprises the auditor’s opinion, management’s assertion on the presentation and design of the controls, a description of the service organization’s systems and controls, and a listing of the organization’s controls. The SOC 2 Type I audit report differs from the SOC Type II in that the former covers ONLY the suitability of the design and addresses ONLY at one specific point in time.
• SOC 2 Type II – A SOC 2 Type II report is an opinion on management’s description of a service organization’s system and the suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of controls that meet the AICPA’s Trust Service Criteria for Security. Similar to a SOC 2 Type I, this report can also address Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and/or Privacy, depending on your customers’ requirements. A SOC 2 Type II audit report contains the same core components as a Type I. Still, Type II is expanded to include the procedures the auditor uses to test the stated controls and the results of such tests over a defined period rather than a single point in time.

Map of California

About California

California, the most populous state in the United States, boasts a dynamic and diverse business community that is a driving force in the state’s economy. Known for its innovation, entrepreneurship, and a wide range of industries, California is a global economic powerhouse.

The technology sector, centered in Silicon Valley, is one of California’s most iconic industries. Home to tech giants like Apple, Google, Facebook, and Tesla, the state leads in innovation, software development, hardware manufacturing, and cutting-edge research. Startups and venture capital firms thrive in this ecosystem, creating a continuous cycle of innovation.

California’s entertainment industry, centered in Los Angeles, is another global phenomenon. Hollywood is the epicenter of the world’s film, television, and music production. Major studios, including Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and Disney, drive the state’s entertainment economy, attracting talent and tourists from around the world.

McKonly & Asbury also provides SOC 2 examinations to companies in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois,  Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan,  New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania,  South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,  Washington, West Virginia and Utah.