Comparison between ASD Essential 8 and SOC 2
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Overview
ASD Essential 8 is a set of eight cybersecurity strategies developed by the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) to help organizations protect their data and systems from cyber threats. SOC 2 is an auditing standard created by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) that focuses on the security and privacy of customer data in cloud-based services. The ASD Essential 8 provides a high-level framework for organizations to secure their systems and data, while SOC 2 provides a more detailed set of security requirements and controls that must be met in order to be compliant. Both standards are important for organizations to consider when it comes to protecting their data and systems from cyber threats.
Contents
What is ASD Essential 8?
The ASD Essential 8 is an Australian Government initiative created to help protect Australian organizations from cyber threats. It consists of eight strategies that organizations should implement in order to increase their cybersecurity posture. These strategies include patching applications and operating systems, using application whitelisting, restricting administrative privileges, using multi-factor authentication, implementing system hardening, using encryption, implementing traffic filtering, and logging and monitoring. Each of these strategies has been designed to reduce the risk of a cyber attack, and to help organizations better protect their data and systems. Implementing the Essential 8 strategies will help organizations improve their cybersecurity posture and reduce the risk of a successful cyber attack.
What is SOC 2?
SOC 2 is an auditing procedure designed to help organizations ensure the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of their customer data. It is based on the Trust Services Principles and Criteria developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). SOC 2 is a widely accepted auditing standard used by service organizations to demonstrate their commitment to security, availability, and privacy. The audit process involves an independent third-party auditor assessing the design and effectiveness of the organization's controls related to the five Trust Services Principles. The audit report provides assurance to customers that the organization has the appropriate controls in place to protect their data. SOC 2 is the most commonly used audit standard for cloud service providers, but it can also be used by any organization that processes customer data.
A Comparison Between ASD Essential 8 and SOC 2
1. Both have a set of security and compliance controls.
2. Both are designed to help organizations protect their data, systems, and processes.
3. Both require organizations to have a comprehensive security program in place.
4. Both require organizations to assess and address risks to their environment.
5. Both require organizations to establish and maintain security policies and procedures.
6. Both require organizations to perform regular internal and external audits.
7. Both require organizations to monitor and respond to security events.
8. Both require organizations to provide ongoing employee training on security topics.
The Key Differences Between ASD Essential 8 and SOC 2
1. ASD Essential 8 focuses on cyber security, while SOC 2 is an auditing standard that applies to all organizations.
2. ASD Essential 8 is a set of security controls, while SOC 2 is a framework of trust service criteria.
3. ASD Essential 8 is a government-mandated security standard, while SOC 2 is a voluntary auditing standard.
4. ASD Essential 8 is designed to protect Australian government agencies and their data, while SOC 2 is designed to protect any organization's data and systems.
5. ASD Essential 8 is focused on prevention and mitigation of cyber security threats, while SOC 2 is focused on data privacy and security.
6. ASD Essential 8 requires organizations to implement security controls, while SOC 2 requires organizations to demonstrate that their controls are effective.
7. ASD Essential 8 requires organizations to report on, monitor and review their security controls, while SOC 2 requires organizations to provide assurance that their controls are in place and operating effectively.
8. ASD Essential 8 requires organizations to implement specific security controls, while SOC 2 provides a framework for organizations to implement their own controls.