IT Audit & Compliance Blog

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 reports, SOC 2 reports, HIPAA reports, HITRUST and FedRAMP assessments.

SOC 2 audits for small business and start-ups

SOC 2 Audits for Small Businesses & Start-Ups: Tips for Preparedness

Is your organization growing and are your clients asking if you have specific certifications? You are not alone. Many small businesses or start-ups with incredible products or services have found themselves in the same situation. The SOC 2 compliance status of a cloud service provider or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company is an important factor when choosing […]

HITRUST external assessors - how can they help?

The Role of the HITRUST Assessor: Your Trusted Partner

A request for proposal has just come out that is in your company’s wheelhouse but instead of only requiring HIPAA and SOC 2, the proposal suggests that those who are HITRUST compliant either receive more consideration or may be the only proposals considered at all. What happens now? Are you prepared? Do you know what […]

Understanding security maturity models

Security Maturity Models: Common Levels of Maturity & How They’re Evaluated

With an ever-changing landscape of security threats and available tools and resources, it is important for organizations to periodically evaluate their security maturity and seek to make improvements to maintain a well-balanced security posture. Throughout this blog, we will explore the concept of the capability maturity model with a focus on security maturity in an […]

Mobile security threats for SOC 2 guidance

Mobile Security Threats: What You Need To Know For SOC 2

As the sophistication and volume of mobile security threats increase, mobile device users and mobile application developers need to be vigilant and stay on top of emerging mobile security threats in order to protect their sensitive data and reputation. This blog delves into some common mobile security threats and what actions may be taken to […]

SOC 2 for healthcare audit compliance

SOC 2 in Healthcare: Why Do Soc Reports Matter for Audit Compliance?

An audit is intended to build trust, decrease risk and encourage efficiency in business practices. While these traits are important for all businesses, they are critical for entities within the healthcare industry. No company is immune to risk, but those in the healthcare industry have a higher inherent risk based on the types of data […]

AWS Security Monitoring Tools for Audit Compliance

Key AWS Monitoring Tools for Security & Audit Compliance – An Auditor’s Perspective

The cloud computing on-demand model of compute power, database, storage, applications, and other IT resources accomplishes a variety of tasks. It reduces barriers, creates flexibility, and increases speed to market. The benefits of the cloud mean that organizations must seriously consider the cloud to perform business. Whether your organization is new to the cloud or […]

SOC 2 vs SOC 3

SOC 2 vs SOC 3 Reports: What is the Difference?

When deciding what kind of SOC report your service organization needs or what kind of report to request from your service organization, the options can be a little confusing. Especially when considering whether you need a SOC 2 vs a SOC 3 report. Many of our clients ask us what a SOC 3 report is, […]

What is SOC 2?

What is SOC 2? An Expert’s Guide to Audits, Reports, Attestation, & Compliance

With the proliferation of data breaches and hacks that occur today, it’s no wonder there is a greater focus on information security. SOC 2 reports are general use reports that provide assurance to user organizations and stakeholders that a particular service is being provided securely. A SOC 2 can also include criteria related to Availability, […]

Operational risk management

What is Operational Risk Management? Expert Guidance for Managing Risk

What is operational risk management? And why is operational risk important? Simply defined, operational risk management is a continual process performed to identify and manage the risks inherent to running a business. Risk is fundamental to operating a business, and all businesses have to manage risk of all types, ranging from financial to operational to […]

Cloud audit compliance

Cloud Compliance Audits: What You Need to Know

As the popularity of cloud computing has increased over the last decade, so has the maturity of standards used to govern these resources. This article will provide a definition of cloud computing and cloud computing audits – the objectives of cloud computing, the scope of a cloud computing audit, understanding cloud compliance, and audit steps […]