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 Audits, SOC 2 Audits, HIPAA Audits, HITRUST Certification, and FedRAMP Assessments, NIST & CMMC, and Penetration Testing.

Is RPA dead?

The Death of RPA: How Artificial Intelligence Has Taken the Lead

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 ISO?

What is ISO? A Guide to Security Standards & Compliance

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 […]

SOC 2 controls

SOC 2 Controls: Developing a SOC 2 Control List

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 […]

Security of containers

What is Containerization? A Security Implementation Guide

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 […]

Compliance automation tools

Compliance Automation Tools: Can You Automate Regulatory Compliance?

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 […]

CMMC final rule

Stop Procrastinating: Your Guide to the CMMC Final Rule

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 […]

HITRUST AI security assessment and certification

HITRUST® AI Security Assessment & Certification: Assessing AI Systems

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 […]

Compliance in business

What Does “Compliant” Mean in IT & Business?

Compliance is defined in the dictionary as “the action or fact of complying with a wish or command.” That is a very simple definition for a complicated topic, especially when you consider all the demands and regulations companies are asked to be compliant with these days.

Emergency change process for compliance

Emergency Changes: Mastering SOC 2 Compliance

It’s 2 a.m., and the team is on a call. A security vulnerability has just been flagged in the production system. Hackers are actively exploiting this flaw worldwide. The pressure is on: the system needs an emergency patch—now. Testing? There’s no time. Waiting for standard approvals? Not an option. But as the team scrambles, the […]