Comparison between SOC 2 and ASD Essential 8

SOC 2 is a set of security principles and related criteria developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It is designed to help organizations that provide cloud-based services to customers demonstrate that they have adequate security controls in place to protect customer data. SOC 2 focuses on five trust principles: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. To comply with SOC 2, organizations must implement and document controls that meet the requirements of each trust principle. The controls are evaluated by a third-party auditor to ensure they are effective and that the organization is in compliance with the requirements. The SOC 2 report is used to provide assurance to customers that their data is securely managed.

The ASD Essential 8 is a set of eight cybersecurity strategies developed by the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) to help organizations protect their information systems from malicious cyber attackers. The strategies are designed to be implemented together, as a holistic approach to cybersecurity, and are intended to provide organizations with a comprehensive set of measures to protect their systems. The eight strategies are: application whitelisting, patching applications, patching operating systems, restricting administrative privileges, user application hardening, multi-factor authentication, daily backups, and isolation of systems. Each of these strategies is designed to reduce the attack surface of an organization, making it harder for attackers to gain access to sensitive data and systems. In addition, the strategies can also help organizations mitigate the impact of successful attacks, by ensuring that any damage is limited and that systems can be quickly restored. By implementing the ASD Essential 8, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of a successful cyber attack.

1. Both SOC 2 and ASD Essential 8 are designed to provide assurance and security for organizations.

2. Both emphasize the importance of protecting customer data, managing risk, and maintaining compliance with industry standards.

3. Both require organizations to have a documented security policy and procedures in place.

4. Both require organizations to conduct regular security assessments and testing.

5. Both require organizations to have a system of controls in place to ensure the security of their systems and data.

6. Both require organizations to have a plan in place to respond to security incidents.

7. Both require organizations to have a system in place to monitor and detect security threats and vulnerabilities.

8. Both require organizations to have a system in place to protect against malicious attacks and unauthorized access to data.

1. SOC 2 is an auditing standard used to evaluate an organization's internal controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy, while ASD Essential 8 is a cybersecurity framework developed by the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) to help organizations protect themselves from cyber threats.

2. SOC 2 is a US-based standard while ASD Essential 8 is an Australian-based standard.

3. SOC 2 focuses on the organization's internal controls while ASD Essential 8 focuses on the security measures implemented by the organization.

4. SOC 2 is more focused on compliance and risk management, while ASD Essential 8 is more focused on security.

5. SOC 2 requires organizations to have a documented set of policies and procedures, while ASD Essential 8 does not.

6. SOC 2 requires organizations to have an independent audit of their controls, while ASD Essential 8 does not.

7. SOC 2 is more comprehensive, while ASD Essential 8 is more focused on specific areas of security.

8. SOC 2 is more widely used and accepted, while ASD Essential 8 is more specific to the Australian market.