SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) is the security attestation that enterprise customers — especially in the US and Europe — demand before they'll trust an Indian SaaS or IT-services company with their data. A SOC 2 report, issued after an independent audit against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria, is often the single document standing between you and a six-figure enterprise contract. Invitty provides end-to-end SOC 2 consulting in Chennai and across India — from gap assessment to audit-ready — so you achieve SOC 2 in months, not years, and stop losing deals to "come back when you're compliant."
We are consultants and implementers, not the auditor (that independence is required) — we prepare you completely, coordinate with a licensed CPA firm for the attestation, and stay with you through the audit and beyond. Because we also deliver VAPT, ISO 27001 and DPDPA, the evidence you build for SOC 2 does double duty across your whole compliance programme.
SOC 2 Type I vs Type II — which do you need?
SOC 2 Type I attests that your controls are designed correctly at a single point in time — the faster route, ideal when a customer needs proof now. SOC 2 Type II attests that those controls operated effectively over a review period (typically 3–12 months) — the report most enterprise buyers ultimately require. Our usual path: achieve Type I quickly to unblock the sales conversation, then run the observation window and convert to Type II. We advise honestly on which your specific customers actually need so you don't over- or under-invest.
The five Trust Services Criteria
Every SOC 2 report covers Security (the mandatory common criteria — access control, change management, risk management, monitoring), and you choose which of the other four to include based on your commitments: Availability (uptime, DR, capacity), Processing Integrity (accurate, complete processing), Confidentiality (protecting sensitive business data), and Privacy (handling of personal information). We help you scope exactly the right criteria — most SaaS companies start with Security, often adding Availability and Confidentiality.
Our SOC 2 process — five steps to attestation
1. Gap Assessment
We map your current controls against the Trust Services Criteria and give you a prioritized gap report — exactly what's missing and what it takes to close each item. You'll know the real timeline and effort before committing.
2. Remediation & Controls Implementation
We help you implement the missing controls — access management and MFA, change management, logging and monitoring, vendor risk, incident response, HR security and the policy set auditors expect. Practical controls that fit how your team actually works, not bureaucracy for its own sake.
3. Policies & Evidence
We draft the full policy suite (information security, access control, change management, incident response, BCP/DR, vendor management and more) and set up the evidence-collection routines so audit proof accumulates automatically instead of in a last-minute scramble.
4. Readiness Assessment
A dry-run audit against the exact criteria the CPA will test — we find and fix any remaining weakness so there are no surprises when the real audit begins.
5. Audit Coordination & Attestation
We introduce a licensed CPA firm, manage the evidence exchange, and support you through fieldwork to a clean report. For Type II we help you sustain controls across the observation window and prepare for annual renewal.
How long does SOC 2 take and what does it cost?
A well-run SOC 2 Type I typically takes 2–3 months from kickoff; Type II adds the observation window (commonly 3–6 months) on top. Total cost has two parts — our consulting/implementation fee and the independent CPA's audit fee — and depends on your company size, scope of criteria, and how mature your controls already are. Starting from a clean gap assessment usually saves money by avoiding wasted effort. Contact us for a scoped, fixed proposal with GST invoice.
Tools & automation
We work with compliance-automation platforms (Vanta, Drata, Sprinto and similar) to continuously collect evidence and monitor controls — cutting audit prep from months of manual work to a live dashboard. If you don't have a platform yet, we'll recommend and set up the right one for your size; if you already run one, we optimize it. Automation also makes annual Type II renewals dramatically cheaper.
Why Indian SaaS companies choose Invitty for SOC 2
Sales-first framing — we treat SOC 2 as the revenue-unlock it is, moving fast to get you a report your prospects accept. Local, hands-on delivery from Chennai in your time zone, in English or Tamil, instead of an offshore call once a week. One compliance partner — SOC 2 evidence overlaps heavily with ISO 27001, and pairs with VAPT (auditors expect it) and DPDPA for Indian data law, so you build once and satisfy many. And honest scoping — we won't sell you Type II when a customer only needs Type I, or five criteria when you need two.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SOC 2 and why do we need it?
SOC 2 is an independent attestation, based on the AICPA Trust Services Criteria, that your organization has effective controls over security (and optionally availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy). Enterprise customers — especially in the US and Europe — require a SOC 2 report before entrusting you with their data, so for Indian SaaS and IT-services firms it's often a prerequisite to closing larger deals.
What is the difference between SOC 2 Type I and Type II?
Type I attests that your controls are properly designed at a single point in time (faster to achieve). Type II attests that those controls operated effectively over a period, usually 3–12 months (what most enterprise buyers ultimately want). Many companies do Type I first to unblock sales, then convert to Type II.
How long does it take to get SOC 2 compliant?
Type I typically takes 2–3 months from kickoff depending on your starting maturity. Type II adds the observation window (commonly 3–6 months) during which controls must operate. We give you a realistic timeline after the gap assessment.
How much does SOC 2 cost in India?
Total cost has two parts: our consulting/implementation fee and the independent CPA auditor's fee. It varies with company size, the number of Trust Services Criteria in scope, and your current control maturity. Contact us for a fixed-scope proposal with GST invoice — starting from a gap assessment avoids wasted spend.
Can Invitty be both our consultant and our SOC 2 auditor?
No — and that's by design. SOC 2 attestation must be issued by an independent licensed CPA firm. We act as your consultant and implementer (gap assessment, remediation, policies, readiness) and coordinate with an independent auditor for the attestation, which keeps the report valid.
Which Trust Services Criteria should we include?
Security is mandatory. Most SaaS companies add Availability and Confidentiality; Processing Integrity and Privacy are included when your customer commitments require them. We scope the right set during the gap assessment so you don't pay to be audited against criteria you don't need.
Do we need VAPT for SOC 2?
Auditors expect evidence of vulnerability management, and penetration testing is a standard control. Our VAPT service produces exactly the report SOC 2 auditors look for, and because we deliver both, the timing and evidence line up. See our VAPT services page.
What is a SOC 2 readiness assessment?
It's a dry-run of the audit: we test your controls against the same criteria the CPA will use, identify any remaining gaps, and fix them before the real audit starts. It dramatically reduces the risk of exceptions in your final report.
Do you use compliance automation tools like Vanta or Drata?
Yes — we work with Vanta, Drata, Sprinto and similar platforms to automate evidence collection and continuous monitoring. If you don't have one, we recommend and configure the right platform; if you do, we optimize it. Automation greatly reduces the cost of annual Type II renewals.
How do we maintain SOC 2 after the first report?
SOC 2 Type II is renewed annually with a fresh observation period. With controls embedded and automation collecting evidence continuously, renewals are far lighter than the first engagement. We offer ongoing support to keep you audit-ready year-round.