May 23, 2023

Working with a Security Consultant: Marana’s Services and Benefits

A successful security audit can mean the difference between losing and attracting enterprise-level clients — but that’s not always easy to achieve. Without the right expertise, it’s easy to miss key steps in the audit process and ultimately fail from a compliance perspective. That’s why Marana exists.

As a team, we’ve done the work of building our knowledge and expertise in the compliance space so you don’t have to. What follows is a closer look at what we do and how we do it.

At Marana, we understand that airtight data management, flawless compliance, a forward-looking approach to future threats, and a solid understanding of the enterprise-level marketplace can help any data management business survive and thrive in a security-conscious landscape. Today, data privacy and management protocols are a core focus. Customers want safety and transparency, and enterprise clients will go to any lengths to provide it. This means they expect their vendors to step up their game when it comes to beefing up security and being compliant with industry regulations…and that’s where we step in. 

We’ll help your company become audit-ready, so you can gain the contracts you need for sustained and meaningful growth. Specifically, we help growing SaaS vendors with the following items: 

Gap analysis

Every set of internal protocols comes with a list of strengths and a list of weaknesses. Do you know where your weaknesses lie? We review the gaps in your storage, transfer, and access protocols and the internal infrastructures you rely on to keep customer data safe. When we spot an entry point for potential hackers or a missing component in your compliance checklist, we’ll further analyze the gap and develop solutions.

Policy documentation

To successfully complete a SOC 2, GDPR or HIPAA audit, you’ll need clear documentation of your internal protocols and policies, including position responsibilities, reporting chains, and communication flows.

Compliance road map

The distance from your current state to a state of total compliance won’t be hard to travel, as long as you’re armed with a detailed road map and a clear set of attainable goals. Our team can take you from point A to point B with a phased approach that keeps your priorities in mind. If problems lie within your software infrastructure, your reporting procedures, or your crisis response protocols, we’ll help you identify what needs to be done, and then do it.

Education for senior staff

Senior staff members need to clearly understand where the company is heading, so they can help you get there. Training junior level data managers and monitoring risk are easier and more effective with shared goals and communication networks in place. Our consultation process can help you identify and shore up weaknesses in your system, and help you build a culture of compliance within your organization. 

Contact us for an initial consultation today and together we’ll take your data security and documentation to the next level.

We’re here to help.

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Frequently Asked
Questions

What type of compliance standard can you help with?

We help our clients based on their needs. The majority of our contracts involve SOC-2, HIPAA, and most recently GDPR. Feel free to ask us if we can help with your particular case. If we aren't able to, we can most likely recommend you to someone who can.

How long does a SOC 2 engagement usually take?

We move as fast as our clients are able to make progress. Our fastest client to date got their SOC-2 Type I four months after signing our engagement letter. That record is up for grab if you are up for it.

In our experience however, it takes 6-9 months to achieve a SOC-2 Type I,  and 3-6 additional months to obtain a SOC-2 Type II report.

Which standard do you follow for your security policies?

All of our security policies follow the ISO-27001 standard. The Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability standards cover the range of standards we like to work with for SOC 2.

Why do we have to become SOC 2 compliant if we are relying on AWS which is already compliant?

SOC 2 stands for Service Organization Control, meaning your clients are interested in understanding your controls, not your hosting provider’s control. As part of your vendor assessment we recommend reviewing AWS’ SOC 2 report, but relying on their report is not enough to become SOC 2 compliant.

Who is behind SOC 2?

The American Institute of CPAs. The AICPA is an established and respected organization that provides two forms of audits to companies that demonstrate evidence of a secure data-protection infrastructure. A Type I is a point in time audit that addresses the company’s description of its system, the suitability of the system’s design, and the effectiveness of its internal data controls. A Type II report happens over a period of time and emphasizes design and also focuses on the validity of the company’s controls.

Are SOC 2 reports a legal obligation?

No, but most enterprise level organizations that engage with sensitive data (again, almost all of them) have an obligation to their stakeholders to prove due diligence regarding data security, which means they’ll want to vet their service providers using this tool. SOC 2 can help these prospective service providers set themselves apart from the competition. Just as important, a SOC 2 report represents a meaningful and respected signifier of trust.

What can happen to a company without a SOC 2 report?

A lack of a SOC 2 report won’t result in legal problems, but it can and will limit outside assessments of the company’s commitment to data security. When large-scale clients look for providers, or large-scale backers look for a likely return on their investment, they don’t want concerns about security to stand in the way. Trust is a chain made of links that have each been put the test and have proven their ability to withstand pressure and scrutiny. Company leaders are wise to let SOC 2 auditors apply this pressure so their clients and backers don’t have to.

When is it too late for a SOC 2 audit?

Never. Even companies that have been in business for years but have never obtained a SOC 2 report can—and should—take steps in this direction now. Being compliant with SOC 2 can open the door to a broader base of more significant clients and larger contract opportunities. That being said, startups in the threshold of the marketplace, and new business owners who hope for an eventual public offering, should obtain a SOC 2 report during the development and financing process. By the time the company approaches Series B and C fundraising rounds, a report should be in hand.

How complicated is the auditing process?

The auditing process can be easy, or complicated depending on your level of preparation.

Preparing for the audit can take some time, attention, and the guidance of reliable data security experts. Don’t leave any part of this process to chance. Approach SOC 2 compliance one step at a time, and start by contacting a consulting firm with track record of experience in your area of the marketplace.