By Akash Sengar · · 2 min read
The short answer
If your clients are mostly in India, Europe or Asia, they usually ask for ISO/IEC 27001 certification. If they are in the US, they more often ask for a SOC 2 report. Many growing service firms end up needing both, and the work overlaps a lot.
The right answer is whatever your clients' procurement and security questionnaires ask for. Check recent questionnaires and contracts before you choose.
What ISO/IEC 27001 is
ISO/IEC 27001:2022 specifies requirements for an information security management system (ISMS): a structured way to manage information security risks. Annex A lists 93 controls in four themes: organisational (37), people (8), physical (14) and technological (34). You apply those relevant to your risks and record the decisions in a Statement of Applicability.
Organisations are certified by an accredited certification body. A certificate is valid for three years, with annual surveillance audits.
What SOC 2 is
SOC 2 is an AICPA attestation that reports on a service organisation's controls against the Trust Services Criteria. Security is always in scope; availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy are added where relevant. The report is issued by a licensed CPA firm after an examination.
- Type I covers the design of controls at a point in time.
- Type II covers the operating effectiveness of controls over a period.
Side by side
How to decide
- List the last ten security questionnaires or contract clauses you received. Count which they ask for.
- If most come from US clients asking for a SOC 2 report, plan for SOC 2, usually Type I first, then Type II.
- If most ask for ISO/IEC 27001, or you sell across several regions, start with ISO/IEC 27001.
- If you are unsure, build the ISMS first. Its risk assessment, policies and evidence carry over to a SOC 2 readiness effort.
Doing both
Firms already running ISO/IEC 27001 often add SOC 2 when they need a US-recognised report. Map your Annex A controls to the Trust Services Criteria in scope, close the gaps, and set up the evidence the examination will test. Keep one control set and one evidence library, not two.
