Confidentiality

Confidentiality is one of the five Trust Service Criteria (TSC) used in SOC2 audits to evaluate an organization's controls related to safeguarding the privacy of its data. The TSC require an organization to implement measures to protect against unauthorized disclosure of its confidential information.

The confidentiality principle includes the following criteria:

  • Control Environment: This criterion requires an organization to establish and maintain an environment that supports the achievement of its objectives. This includes setting the tone at the top, establishing a code of conduct, and ensuring that policies and procedures are in place to manage confidentiality risks.
  • Risk Assessment: This criterion requires an organization to identify, assess, and manage risks related to the confidentiality of its data. This includes identifying the data that requires protection, assessing the likelihood and impact of potential data breaches, and implementing appropriate controls to mitigate risks.
  • Confidentiality: This criterion requires an organization to implement controls to ensure that its confidential information is protected from unauthorized access, disclosure, and use. This includes implementing access controls, encryption, and monitoring of data access.
  • Information Exchange: This criterion requires an organization to implement controls to protect the confidentiality of information exchanged with third parties. This includes implementing confidentiality agreements, monitoring of data exchanges, and verifying the security controls of third-party organizations.
  • Monitoring: This criterion requires an organization to implement monitoring and testing procedures to ensure that its confidentiality controls are operating effectively. This includes conducting regular security assessments, monitoring access logs, and reviewing security incidents.

Overall, an organization must demonstrate that it has appropriate confidentiality controls in place to protect its data from unauthorized access, disclosure, and use. The SOC2 audit report provides assurance to stakeholders that the organization has implemented these controls effectively.