Top 5 Mistakes Companies Make in Pursuit of SOC 2 (and How to Avoid Them)
Lessons learned, gentle humour included because we’ve seen it all.
Quick Snapshot
Focus: The 5 most common SOC 2 mistakes and how to avoid them
Who this is for: Canadian SaaS, fintech, logistics, and professional services providers
Goal: Make SOC 2 predictable, achievable, and less stressful (yes, really)
SOC 2 is one of the most valuable security frameworks for Canadian organizations today. It builds trust, opens enterprise opportunities, and strengthens security maturity. But while SOC 2 is achievable, too many companies walk into the process unprepared and the results can be painful.
After helping dozens of organizations across SaaS, fintech, logistics, and professional services, we’ve noticed the same five mistakes appear again and again.
This post breaks them down with simple explanations, practical lessons, and anonymized examples for clarity.
Note: All scenarios below are fictional examples for educational purposes only.
🔍 The Top 5 SOC 2 Mistakes at a Glance
| Mistake | What It Looks Like | Quick Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Underestimating the timeline | “We’ll be done in 30 days how hard can it be?” | Plan for months, not weeks. |
| 2. Lacking management support | “Security is IT’s thing, right?” | Secure leadership buy-in early. |
| 3. Poor scope definition | Including everything… or missing critical systems. | Scope only what touches customer data. |
| 4. Treating SOC 2 like a checkbox | Copy-paste policies no one reads. | Align policies with reality. |
| 5. Not collecting evidence year-round | Trying to find all evidence the week before the audit. | Collect and store evidence continuously. |
Let’s look at each mistake more closely and how to avoid it.
1. Underestimating the Timeline (“We can get this done in a month, right?”)
This is the most common and the most dangerous SOC 2 assumption. SOC 2 is not a short project. It involves:
- Documentation
- Evidence collection
- Control updates
- Technical fixes
- Interviews
- Internal reviews
A typical SOC 2 Type I readiness takes 2–4 months.
A SOC 2 Type II audit cycle can take 3–12 months, depending on the monitoring period.
⚠️ Example (Simplified & Fictional)
A fast-growing fintech told us they planned to “complete SOC 2 in 30 days.” When we asked about access reviews, change management, logging, vendor assessments, incident response, and evidence preparation, they paused and said,
“Oh. We thought it was just policies.”
This happens often. SOC 2 is not “just paperwork.” It is operational evidence that controls worked consistently.
Lesson: Start early. Plan properly. Rushing SOC 2 creates unnecessary stress and missed requirements.
2. Lacking Management Support (“Security is IT’s thing, right?”)
SOC 2 is a company-wide program, not an IT project. When leadership is not fully committed, SOC 2 momentum collapses. SOC 2 requires:
- Process changes across teams
- Budget decisions and tool selection
- Employee training and awareness
- Vendor reviews and contract updates
- Policy approvals and enforcement
- Infrastructure and configuration improvements
⚠️ Example (Fictional)
One company’s internal audit failed because HR didn’t know SOC 2 required onboarding/offboarding evidence.
Their comment: “No one told us this mattered.” This was a communication and ownership problem not a technical one.
Lesson: SOC 2 requires buy-in from leadership, HR, IT, operations, and security not just one team.
3. Poor Scope Definition (“Let’s include everything or nothing!”)
SOC 2 scoping mistakes can either:
- Inflate the project by including systems that don’t matter, or
- Leave important systems out, causing audit issues later.
Scope determines:
- Which systems are reviewed
- Which controls are required
- Which evidence is needed
- Which cloud platforms are included
- Where your responsibility starts and ends
| Scoping Pitfall | Better Approach |
|---|---|
| Including every internal tool “just in case” | Limit scope to systems that store, process, or protect customer data. |
| Excluding critical environments to “keep it simple” | Include all material components of the service you provide to customers. |
⚠️ Example (Fictional)
A startup included all engineering systems in scope, even those unrelated to their product. This doubled their evidence workload with no added benefit. Another company excluded critical parts of their environment, and the auditor flagged it immediately.
Lesson: Scope only what is necessary to protect customer data nothing more, nothing less.
4. Treating SOC 2 Like a Checkbox Project
Many companies make the mistake of viewing SOC 2 as a certificate, not a security program. This mindset leads to:
- Copy-paste policies from the internet
- Evidence collected only right before the audit
- Controls not applied consistently throughout the year
- No meaningful change after certification
⚠️ Example (Fictional)
A company copied policies from the internet. During the audit, the auditor asked, “Do you follow these?” The engineering manager replied, “What policies?” That was an awkward moment and it led to findings.
Lesson: SOC 2 is about operational consistency, not just documentation. Make it part of your culture, not a one-time event.
5. Not Collecting Evidence Throughout the Year
SOC 2 Type II requires ongoing proof that controls worked over the entire review period.
Common evidence mistakes include:
- Forgetting access review logs
- Missing backup validation reports
- No record of incident response testing
- No change management tickets or approvals
- Incomplete onboarding/offboarding logs
Trying to gather all this at the end of the year is stressful and often impossible.
⚠️ Example (Fictional)
A SaaS company realized during the audit that no one had kept logs of quarterly access reviews. They had done them but never saved proof. Without evidence, it doesn’t count.
Lesson: Collect evidence continuously and automate where possible. Consistency is the heart of SOC 2.
Avoiding These Mistakes Is What Makes SOC 2 Successful
SOC 2 becomes easier, faster, and more predictable when organizations:
- Start early and respect the timeline
- Define scope properly
- Assign clear ownership across teams
- Make SOC 2 part of daily operations
- Collect and store evidence continuously
Organizations that follow these principles achieve better audits, stronger security, and happier customers.
How Canadian Cyber Helps You Avoid These Mistakes
Canadian Cyber supports Canadian organizations through every phase of SOC 2, helping them avoid common pitfalls and wasted effort.
Our support often includes:
- SOC 2 readiness assessments
- Scope definition and refinement
- Evidence tracking and organization
- Policy development and tailoring
- Quarterly compliance and control checks
- Staff training and interview prep
- vCISO guidance and strategic oversight
- Audit preparation and post-audit improvements
Goal:
Make SOC 2 predictable, structured, and far less stressful while actually improving security.
Ready to Start SOC 2 Without the Mistakes?
Canadian Cyber makes the SOC 2 process achievable and transparent for Canadian teams, whether you’re just starting or preparing for a Type II audit.
Stay Connected with Canadian Cyber
Follow Canadian Cyber for more SOC 2 guidance, case studies, and Canadian cybersecurity insights:
