Ever wonder what an auditor means when they say they’d like to get to know your entity and its control environment? Through this blog, we walk through why this topic is important to an auditor, what the procedures are to understand the entity and its environment, and how this information is used in compiling a […]
Internal and external audits, while sharing some common elements, serve distinct purposes in an organization. In this blog, we will explain the key characteristics of each type of audit and examine how they overlap, as well as where they differ, to provide a greater understanding for our readers. What is An Internal Audit? An internal […]
Linford & Company specializes in helping service organizations go through their Service Organization Control (SOC) review the first time.
If you’re an information security professional, there’s a good chance you’ve already heard about the MITRE ATT&CK framework. If it’s something you haven’t heard of, or if you haven’t found the time to dive into its vast trove of information, it’s never too late to start! The following are some of the most common questions […]
If you are being asked to obtain a System and Organization Controls (SOC) report by your existing user entity or a potential user entity, you may question whether you should obtain a SOC 1, SOC 2, or SOC 3 report. You may also wonder whether it should be a Type 1 or a Type 2 […]
Compliance with the requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule starts with understanding how it is constructed. The HIPAA Security Rule is part of the overall HIPAA Privacy and Security Rule and consists of standards and implementation specifications. Per HIPAA Security Safeguards: Each Security Rule standard is a requirement: a covered entity must comply with all […]
A SOC (System and Organization Controls) report is a report on controls at a service organization related to various types of subject matter, for example: controls that affect user entities’ financial reporting; controls that affect the security, availability, and processing integrity of the systems; or the confidentiality or privacy of the information processed for user entities’ clients.
“Why wash your hands?” “How to Protect yourself and others.” These are headlines that I recently ran across while browsing daily news updates. For months, we’ve been bombarded with advice and guidance on how to stay healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the guidance may vary, the topic of handwashing and avoiding hand contact (i.e. […]
Exposing employees to the security threats that exploit businesses, seemingly weekly these days, can help companies protect themselves against those threats. This blog will present the importance of security training, options, and resources, and the frequency that training should be provided. What is Security Awareness Training? Security awareness training is the process of providing information […]
Cybersecurity is a serious concern for the management and board members of organizations around the world. Consequently, service providers are being faced with increasing scrutiny and pressure to prove that they have taken appropriate measures to protect their systems, the client data that they process or store, and the systems and entities who use or […]
