The Linford & Company Blog is written by our very own auditors, who are experts in IT audits, information security, and compliance topics. Their auditing experience encompasses a broad spectrum of industries and organizations, and their specialized expertise can help your company or organization make the right decision for your auditing needs. Our specific areas of focus in our IT Audit & Compliance Blog include SOC 1 Audits, SOC 2 Audits, HIPAA Audits, HITRUST Certification, and FedRAMP Assessments, NIST & CMMC, and Penetration Testing.
In this article, we will cover some common questions that come up related to SOC 2 reports. SOC 2 does not have to be difficult although, with some of the terminology, it can initially be confusing. So what are SOC 2 reports? Let’s dive in! With today’s prevalence of cloud computing, information security and the […]
In today’s evolving technological landscape, businesses are increasingly turning to automation to enhance efficiency and reduce operational costs. Two prominent technologies in this domain are Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). While both aim to streamline business processes, they differ significantly in their capabilities and applications. This article explores the distinctions between RPA […]
What is HITRUST Certification? Founded in 2007, HITRUST issues certifications to businesses and organizations that are independently assessed for compliance with its Common Security Framework (CSF). An organization can obtain HITRUST certification when all the required controls are fully implemented within the scoped environment. The HITRUST CSF is designed for use by a variety of […]
Across the globe, International Standards Organization (ISO) standards have been accepted by experts as a standard that can be relied upon for just about any process. They guide requirements to manufacture a good, provide a service, set up a management system, and comply with safety requirements. The list goes on and on. Since we are […]
One of the most common requests I get from organizations preparing for a SOC 2 audit is for the SOC 2 control list that specifies the required controls. However, unlike other security frameworks, SOC 2 does not come with a set list of controls. Rather, the amount and type of SOC 2 controls an organization […]
Containers, and the concept of containerization, have been continuing to grow. Many organizations are struggling to keep up with the new technology and keep their systems secure. If you and your organization are considering trying to use or moving to containers, many of your current security processes and procedures will no longer work with containerization […]
Who likes dealing with regulatory compliance? It’s not the most fun or popular task for organizations to deal with. Yet we live in a world with increasing risks related to information security, increasing regulation, and less time to commit to dealing with these factors. With the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) and compliance automation tools […]
People often make New Year’s resolutions to reflect on the past year and set goals for personal growth, improvement, or change in the year ahead. One of the funniest I’ve heard is, “My New Year’s resolution is to stop procrastinating… starting tomorrow.” If you’ve been procrastinating on learning about CMMC, now is the time to […]
The Cloud Security Alliance is a non-profit organization that promotes the use of best practices for providing secure cloud computing. Since 2010, the CSA has released four versions of a free Cloud Controls Matrix for public use.
Globally, the advent of AI systems and technologies is leading massive innovations. For example: The AI market in the U.S. was valued at $50.16 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.30%, reaching $223.70 billion by 2030. In 2023, investments in generative AI surged to $25.2 […]
