Read Time: 5 minutes
When organizations rely on service providers or share sensitive data, one principle remains: you can outsource the service, but not the accountability. Businesses must ensure their providers maintain high standards of information security. On the flip side, service providers must prove they are trustworthy, especially when handling critical data or systems. One way to demonstrate this is through a formal security assurance, such as:
- Completing regular security assessments, or
- Obtaining assurance through recognized standards.
Differences Between Global Standards
The most common standards are ISO 27001, ISAE 3000/SOC 2, and ISAE 3402/SOC 1. ISAE and SOC reports serve similar purposes, ISAE is the international standard, while SOC is its U.S. counterpart. For example, ISAE 3000 aligns with SOC 2, and ISAE 3402 aligns with SOC 1. But what’s the difference between them?
| Domain | ISO 27001 | ISAE 3402 / SOC 1 | ISAE 3000 / SOC 2 | SOC 3 |
| Duration |
Point at a time (renewed regularly) |
Type I: Point in time Type II: Over a defined period |
Type I: Point in time Type II: Over a defined period |
Same as SOC 2 (Type I or Type II) |
| Focus |
Information Security Management System (ISMS) |
Internal control over financial reporting |
Non-financial controls (Trust Services Criteria/TSC: security (mandatory), availability, confidentiality, processing integrity, and privacy) |
Public summary of SOC 2 |
| Report Type |
Certificate of compliance |
Type I (a certain date) or Type II (certain time period) attestation |
Type I (a certain date) or Type II (certain time period) attestation |
Condensed summary report |
| Scope |
Organization-wide ISMS |
Internal controls over financial reporting |
Covers specific systems, applications, or services based on TSC. |
High-level summary of SOC 2 |
| Geographic User |
Global |
Global (ISAE 3402) / U.S. (SOC 1) |
Global (ISAE 3000) / U.S. (SOC 2) |
U.S. (but recognized globally) |
| Issued By |
Accredited certification body |
Independent auditor (SOC: US-affiliated CPA) |
Independent auditor (SOC: US-affiliated CPA) |
US-affiliated CPA. |
| Primary Users |
Internal teams, clients, partners, and regulatory bodies |
Organization’s customers and their financial auditors |
Organization’s existing and potential customers, business partners, and regulatory bodies |
General public, customers, and business stakeholders |
Differences Between Global Standards
Before jumping into a certification or attestation process, organizations should:
- Assess the adequacy of current assurance mechanisms – from the perspectives of the board, regulators, clients, and internal teams.
- Conduct a gap analysis – understand current maturity and identify what’s missing.
- Plan the engagement – this includes scoping, resource alignment, and objective setting.
- Execute fieldwork – involves interviews, documentation review, and control testing.
- Review and report – the outcome is an assurance report aligned with the chosen framework.
How Crowe Can Help
Crowe is uniquely positioned as both a technology audit firm and a consulting expert in compliance and security frameworks. We assist organizations in obtaining certifications such as ISO 27001, ISAE 3402/SOC 1, and ISAE 3000/SOC 2 by strengthening internal controls, ensuring regulatory compliance, and enhancing overall security posture. Our integrated approach streamlines the certification process, reducing effort and costs while supporting long-term business growth.