Language Services Successfully Completes a SOC 2 Assessment
At AMN Healthcare Language Services, we continually invest in security best practices to ensure that our client’s data stays safe and secure. As a part of an on-going effort, we are excited to announce that we’ve successfully completed our SOC 2® (Service Organization Control Type 2) report.
The examination was conducted by A-LIGN, a technology-enabled security and compliance firm trusted by more than 4,000 global organizations to help mitigate cybersecurity risks. “AMN Healthcare Language Services’ SOC 2 report validates its commitment to data security and protection, as well as compliance with critical standards to mitigate cybersecurity threats.”
What is a SOC 2 report and what does it mean for your partnership with us? In this article, we will walk you through the ins and outs of a SOC 2 report and how the report secures our partners with confidence and trust.
What is SOC 2 report?
A SOC 2 report addresses risks associated with the handling and access of data and can be used by a variety of organizations of any size (e.g., SaaS, colocation, data hosting, etc.). Rather than a cybersecurity assessment that evaluates specific technical configurations, a SOC 2 report focuses more on how an organization implements and manages controls to mitigate the identified risks to the different parts of an organization.
The SOC 2 audit testing framework is based off of the Trust Services Criteria (TSC), which are used to identify various risks (points of focus) an organization should consider addressing. Based on the TSCs, the organization selects to be in-scope, the third-party compliance and audit firm (in our case, A-LIGN) evaluates whether the organization has the appropriate policies, procedures, and controls in place to manage the identified risks effectively.
There are five TSCs. The first criteria, Security, must be included with every SOC 2 report and is referred to as the “Common Criteria”. The remaining four are optional to include:
- Security (required)
- Availability (optional)
- Processing Integrity (optional)
- Confidentiality (optional)
- Privacy (optional)
In order to pass a SOC 2 examination and receive a letter of attestation, an organization is deemed to be successfully addressing controls in areas such as information security, access control, vendor management, system backup, business continuity, disaster relief, and more.
Who should undergo a SOC 2 Examination?
Organizations of all sizes and industries can benefit from a SOC 2 Examination, as the audit can be performed for any organization that provides a variety of services to its customers. A SOC 2 report highlights the controls in place that protect and secure an organization’s system or services used by its customers. The scope of a SOC 2 Examination extends beyond the systems that have a financial impact, reaching all systems and tools used in support of the organization’s services.
Why do organizations need a SOC 2?
Today, many organizations outsource their business operations and services to third-party vendors, possibly putting client data at risk. For this reason, organizations request that their vendors achieve SOC 2 compliance to demonstrate rigorous IT security standards. Some additional reasons to consider a SOC 2 report for your organization include:
- Clients will most likely request a SOC 2 sooner or later
- SOC 2 can bring a competitive advantage to your business
- Enhanced information security practice
- SOC 2 helps you gain customer trust
- Ensure your employees understand best practices
About our SOC 2 auditor, A-LIGN
A-LIGN is the only end-to-end cybersecurity compliance solutions provider with readiness to report compliance automation software paired with professional audit services, trusted by more than 4,000 global organizations to help mitigate cybersecurity risks. A-LIGN uniquely delivers a single-provider holistic approach as a licensed CPA firm to SOC 1 and SOC 2 Audit services, accredited ISO 27001, ISO 27701 and ISO 22301 Certification Body, HITRUST CSF Assessor firm, accredited FedRAMP 3PAO, authorized CMMC C3PAO, PCI Qualified Security Assessor Company, and PCI SSC registered Secure Software Assessor Company. Working with growing businesses to global enterprises, A-LIGN’s experts and its compliance automation platform, A-SCEND, are transforming the compliance experience. To find out if you are ready to undergo a SOC 2 audit, review A-LIGN’s SOC 2 Readiness Checklist to learn how close your organization is to reaching its potential. For more information, visit www.A-LIGN.com.
Know your data is safe and secure with AMN Healthcare Language Services
Our SOC 2 report is available to current or potential customers upon execution of a non-disclosure agreement. We hope the steps we have taken help you and your IT teams remain confident in knowing that your data is secure with AMN Healthcare Language Services. To learn more about our security policies and initiatives, please contact us at wendy.mullinax@amnhealthcare.com.
