SOC 2 for European companies: reuse the controls you already run

SOC 2 is the attestation US enterprise buyers ask for. It is defined by the AICPA (the US accountancy body) against the Trust Services Criteria — security (mandatory), availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy — and comes in two forms: Type I (control design at a point in time) and Type II (operating effectiveness over a period, typically 3–12 months).

Two honest facts most vendors bury: SOC 2 is a US framework, not a European legal obligation — you need it when your customers demand it, usually in US-bound sales — and the report can only be issued by a licensed CPA firm. RASDefense is not that firm. We are the team that makes the audit boring.

The European angle

If you are already carrying NIS2 obligations or an ISO 27001 ISMS, you already operate most of what SOC 2 examines: access control, change management, monitoring, incident response, vendor management, continuity. The waste is running SOC 2 as a separate annual project.

Our approach, consistent with the whole compliance hub: map the controls once, collect the evidence continuously, and let each framework draw from the same pool.

How we get you to a clean Type II

1. Scoping and criteria selection (expert-led). Which Trust Services Criteria your buyers actually require, which systems are in scope, and where the gaps are.
2. Control mapping. Your existing NIS2/ISO control set mapped to the criteria; genuinely missing controls (often US-buyer specifics like vendor SOC report reviews) implemented.
3. Continuous evidence (AI-led). Type II is won or lost on the observation window: the platform verifies controls throughout the period with deterministic rules, and an RAS expert counter-signs every cycle — no end-of-window scramble.
4. Fieldwork support. We prepare the evidence room and sit with you through the CPA firm's testing.

Why RASDefense

RASDefense is the cybersecurity arm of RAS Institute, vetted through competitive EU procurement to hold three framework contracts with ENISA, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity. That vetting — a benchmark, not an endorsement — tested exactly the disciplines SOC 2 examines: methodology, security rigour and data protection. We bring EU-grade, GDPR-aligned data handling to your SOC 2 programme, with residency to match your jurisdiction.

FAQ

What is the difference between SOC 2 Type I and Type II?

A Type I report assesses the design of your controls at a point in time; a Type II report assesses whether they operated effectively over a period, usually 3–12 months. Enterprise buyers increasingly expect Type II, which makes continuous evidence collection essential.

Who issues the SOC 2 report?

Only a licensed CPA firm can issue a SOC 2 attestation report. RASDefense is not an audit firm: we prepare the control environment and the evidence, and support you through the auditor's fieldwork.

Do European companies need SOC 2 as well as ISO 27001?

If you sell to US enterprises or US-headquartered buyers, often yes — procurement teams there ask for SOC 2 even when you hold ISO 27001. The overlap in controls is large, so with a single mapped control set the additional effort is mostly packaging and audit logistics, not new security work.