What Does a SOC 2 Audit Look Like? A Peek Into the Process

Your step-by-step guide to what auditors check and how to prepare with confidence.

SOC 2 has become one of the most requested security frameworks for Canadian service providers. Clients want proof that you protect their data, and SOC 2 provides exactly that. But for many organizations, the

biggest challenge is not the audit itself it’s understanding what the audit looks like.

Is it technical? Is it long? Is it just interviews? Do auditors go through every system? This guide answers those questions and gives you a clear, readable picture of how a SOC 2 audit actually works. If you’re pursuing SOC 2 soon, think of this as your pre-experience walkthrough.

Why Understanding the SOC 2 Audit Matters

SOC 2 audits are predictable when you know the process. They’re stressful when you don’t. Understanding the workflow helps you:

• Reduce surprises
• Avoid last-minute scrambling
• Prepare evidence early
• Train your staff properly
• Pass the audit smoothly

🧭 The SOC 2 Audit Journey From Readiness to Certification

Below is what a real SOC 2 audit typically looks like for Canadian organizations, from first readiness steps to the final report.

1. The Readiness Assessment, Your “Practice Audit”

Before the real audit begins, most organizations complete a readiness phase. This is where gaps are identified and corrected, without the pressure of a formal opinion. A readiness assessment usually includes:

• A detailed questionnaire
• Policy and procedure reviews
• Technical control inspection
• Evidence sample review

Many Canadian Cyber clients first encountered SOC 2 through a questionnaire from a potential customer. That early request often exposes missing policies, weak logging, or unclear processes that need attention before a full audit.

2. The Kickoff Meeting, Setting the Stage

Once you’re ready, the certification audit begins with a kickoff call. The auditor explains:

• Audit scope and in-scope systems
• Trust Service Criteria included (Security, Availability, etc.)
• Documentation they’ll need
• Evidence format and submission method
• Staff interviews and key contacts
• Timelines and key milestones

This meeting makes the process predictable and gives you a clear picture of what is coming next.

3. Documentation Review, Policies, Procedures, and Governance

SOC 2 has heavy documentation expectations. Auditors want to see that your security program is intentional, not accidental. Auditors typically look for:

• Information security policy
• Access control policy
• Incident response plan
• Vendor risk management
• Change management procedures
• Risk assessment and treatment
• Data retention policies
• Asset inventory

They confirm that your policies:

• Exist and are approved
• Match how people actually work
• Cover SOC 2 requirements
• Are reviewed at least annually

4. Access Controls, One of the Most Important Audit Areas

Access control failures are a top SOC 2 issue. Auditors want to see that only the right people have the right access at the right time. Auditors verify that you:

• Use multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Enforce least-privilege access
• Disable inactive accounts promptly
• Review access regularly
• Protect admin and privileged accounts
• Track user changes and role updates

They may request samples of:

• User onboarding records
• Termination logs
• Admin activity logs

This is where clean evidence really matters.

5. Change Management, How Your Systems Evolve

Auditors check that system changes are controlled, reviewed, and documented. They look for:

• Tickets for changes and deployments
• Approvals and sign-offs
• Testing evidence
• Rollback plans
• Production deployment logs

If your team ships features or changes directly to production without documentation, this will surface during the audit.

6. Logging & Monitoring, Detecting Security Issues Early

SOC 2 expects continuous monitoring, not ad-hoc checks. Auditors review your ability to:

• Log system and security events
• Detect anomalies
• Monitor for suspicious behaviour
• Escalate and investigate alerts

They may request:

• Log samples
• Monitoring dashboards
• Alert examples
• Incident investigations

7. Incident Response, Are You Ready for a Breach?

Auditors evaluate whether you can respond effectively if something goes wrong. They look for:

• A documented incident response plan
• Defined roles and responsibilities
• Communication templates and escalation paths
• Evidence that the plan has been tested

You may need to provide:

• Tabletop exercise results
• Incident logs or reports
• Lessons learned and follow-up actions

8. Vendor Management, Your Supply Chain Matters

Many breaches involve third parties. SOC 2 auditors want to know how you manage vendor risk. They evaluate:

• Vendor inventory
• Security questionnaires and assessments
• Contract clauses related to security and privacy
• SOC 2 reports or attestations from key vendors
• Annual or periodic vendor reviews

9. Backup & Recovery, Proving You Can Bounce Back

For Availability criteria in particular, auditors focus on your ability to recover. They look at:

• Backup schedules and retention
• Backup integrity tests
• Restoration exercises
• RTO/RPO targets and documentation

They may request:

• Backup logs
• Recovery test results
• Cloud backup evidence

10. Final Audit Report, Your SOC 2 Badge of Trust

After evidence review, interviews, and analysis, the auditor produces a SOC 2 report. This typically includes:

• Audit scope and period
• Control performance
• Evidence summaries
• Exceptions or gaps
• Recommendations or observations

A clean SOC 2 report is a major trust milestone something your sales, security, and leadership teams can proudly share with customers.

⚠️ Common SOC 2 Audit Surprises

Even well-prepared organizations are often surprised by a few parts of the SOC 2 process.

Ready to Start Your SOC 2 Journey? We Make It Simple.

Whether you’re a startup preparing for your first enterprise client or a growing business ready to scale, Canadian Cyber can help you turn SOC 2 from a scary unknown into a structured, achievable project.

Stay Connected with Canadian Cyber

Follow Canadian Cyber for more SOC 2 guidance, case studies, and Canadian cybersecurity insights: