Type I or Type II first?
Most clients begin with Type I to validate design, then move to a 6-month Type II observation window.
Extended FAQs
Extended FAQs — SOC 2 Type I & Type II Readiness
Extended answers to the questions buyers, boards and procurement teams ask before commissioning SOC 2 Type I & Type II Readiness.
- ISO/IEC 27001 Certified
- ISO/IEC 27701 Certified
- ISO 9001 Certified
Delivered by an ISO/IEC 27001, 27701 & 9001 certified organisation
Which auditors do you work with?
We work with all Big 4 and major boutique CPA firms. We help you select based on industry, geography and price.
How long does SOC 2 readiness take?
Typically 90 days from kickoff to Type I attestation. Type II then runs for a 3 to 12 month observation window — most enterprise buyers expect a minimum 6-month period.
What does SOC 2 cost?
Readiness fees scale with scope (which TSCs, how many systems) and existing maturity. Auditor fees are separate — typically USD 25k–60k for Type II at mid-size scale. We provide a fixed-fee readiness proposal after scoping.
Do we need Vanta, Drata or AuditBoard?
Helpful but not mandatory. We are tool-agnostic — we run programmes on Vanta, Drata, Sprinto, Secureframe and AuditBoard, or with no platform if the control surface is small.
Which Trust Services Criteria should we include?
Security (Common Criteria) is mandatory. We recommend Availability for SaaS, Confidentiality for any customer data, and Privacy / Processing Integrity only when contractually required.
Can we leverage ISO 27001 for SOC 2?
Yes — 70%+ control overlap. We run combined programmes that produce both a SOC 2 Type II report and ISO 27001 certificate from one body of evidence.
Will SOC 2 satisfy our enterprise customers?
SOC 2 Type II is the default assurance signal for North American buyers. International buyers may additionally require ISO 27001 — we run both in parallel where needed.
How experienced is the team that will actually deliver SOC 2 Type I & Type II Readiness?
Every engagement is led by a partner or principal with at least 12 years in compliance & certification and supported by certified consultants (CISA, CISM, CISSP, CIPP/E, ISO 27001 Lead Auditor, ISO 42001 Lead Implementer, OSCP, CREST). You meet the actual delivery team before contracts are signed.
How do you handle confidentiality and data residency?
All client data stays within the regions you authorise. NDAs are signed before scoping calls, and we offer fully on-premise delivery for sensitive engagements. For UAE and KSA clients, evidence remains in-country by default.
Can MAST work alongside our existing Big 4 auditor?
Yes. We routinely collaborate with EY, Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, BDO and Grant Thornton as your implementation partner while they retain audit independence. Roles are agreed upfront in writing to preserve auditor independence rules.
Do you offer multi-year continuous compliance?
Yes — our Managed Compliance Service operates the programme on a monthly subscription, covering control monitoring, evidence collection, internal audit and recertification across every framework in scope.
How is success measured?
Success criteria are agreed in the engagement charter — typically a passed certification or regulator submission, an audit-ready evidence repository, trained control owners and a 12-month continuous-improvement plan.