Stages

Ideation & Awareness

• Understand product security ✅
• Discussion: GD (business impact), Nilesh (feasibility). ✅

Certification Analysis

• List out certification options out there✅
• List certifications which are on prime focus for us ✅
• Assess current infra, policies, processes, outline basic tasks to be performed (detailed checklists on the basis of our research)✅
• Docs : https://bookstack.bynry.com/books/common-Aj3/page/certifications-and-frameworks

SOC 2 Analysis

• Basics of SOC 2, Trust Areas ✅
• Certification Process ✅
• Work Involved Checklists: Tech, Non Tech ✅
• Compliance Process: Vendors ✅
• Cost Implications ✅
• Risk Mitigations ✅
• Docs : https://bookstack.bynry.com/books/soc-ii , https://bookstack.bynry.com/books/soc-ii/chapter/checklists

Scope & Requirements

• Decide Type II, trust principles, other cybersec frameworks ✅
• Discussion: Leadership ✅
• Docs : https://bookstack.bynry.com/books/soc-ii

Cost & ROI Assessment

• Estimate: Platform + Audit + Internal effort. [Rough estimates: infra+vendor+audit] ✅
• Discussion: Leadership. ✅
• Doc: https://bookstack.bynry.com/books/soc-ii/chapter/cost-implications

Vendor Evaluation

• Pros/cons, time, resources. ✅
• List out vendors and perform proper comparisons between them
• Shortlist vendors.
• Discussion: Leadership.
• Doc : https://bookstack.bynry.com/books/soc-ii/page/soc-2-compliance-manual-vs-automation-vendor , https://bookstack.bynry.com/books/common-Aj3/page/compliance-vendors
• Sheet : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zU2wQmEp9d4WBYiRJtKXeWd89dJsS5Y0DTwLQOL6ln0/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Vendor Demos & Selection (~2-4w)

• At least 3 demos → compare features, support, cost, integrations
• Discussion: Leadership.
• Decision: Final vendor.

Internal Prep (draft work) (~2w)

• Assign internal SOC 2 roles (owner for security, infra, HR, backend etc.).
• Collect basic infra details (AWS architecture, flow diagrams, access control lists, security setups).
• Identify Basic Policies
• Identify existing policies (even if draft) like Access Control, Incident Response, DR, BizCont.
• Discuss and ruling draft policies internally with leadership
• Doc : https://bookstack.bynry.com/books/soc-ii/page/general-policies

Evidence Pre-Collection (~2w)

• Start gathering docs we'll definitely need:
  • Employee handbook, HR policies.
  • List of SaaS tools + vendors (Workday, Slack, GitHub, etc.).
  • Access logs, MFA screenshots, AWS IAM setup.
  • Third- Party Vendor background checks policy

Quick Wins (Pre-Control Fixes) (~1-2w)

• Enable MFA everywhere.
• Ensure logging/monitoring in AWS.
• Put up Vulnerability scans wherever possible for CVEs
• Check password policies & SSO setup.
• Start drafting Acceptable Use, Access Control, Change Mgmt policies.
• Following the principle of least privileges

Stakeholder Alignment

• Conduct a kickoff-like meeting internally before vendor joins: existing work overview
• Discussion: Leadership → who will own what

Vendor Onboarding

• Parallel to vendor onboarding, start reaching out to SOC 2 audit firms.(If they're not bringing in : genrally they are partnered with them so this might get skipped)
• Vendor usually helps, but early prep saves time.

Communication Plan

• Prepare “We are pursuing SOC 2” comms for internal team → builds awareness. [short onboarding on what we're doing]
• Draft external messaging for customers once audit starts.

Initial GAP Analysis : Current Security posture

• Initial analysis on the current posture
• Vendor rolls out policy update suggestions and process refinements as per soc2 guidelines
• GAP Analysis received

Observation Phase [min 3 Months]

• Fulfill GAP demands
• Go for observation phase
• Need a clean observation window of 3 months - keep track of all things

Implementation & Evidence Collection

• Roll out policies, tools, controls.
• Automate via vendor (if chosen).

Internal Reviews & Mock Audit

• Dry run before final.
• Discussion: Nilesh + Security team.

SOC 2 Audit Engagement

• Select CPA firm (AICPA-accredited).
• Conduct readiness → Type I/II audit.

Final Report & Communication

Receive SOC 2 report.

First thing: Notify our marketing team to add up the badges wherever possible , Share with customers, update sales collateral.

ROI realized (trust + faster deals).