Australian businesses are under more pressure to show they can protect sensitive data, especially when moving to the cloud. If you work in finance, healthcare, or HR, following SOC compliance standards is now an important part of meeting regulations and earning client trust.
System and Organisation Controls (SOC) are voluntary audits that check how well a business protects and manages information. As more companies in Australia move their systems to cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), SOC compliance plays a bigger role in proving your security practices are strong and reliable.
Explore the different SOC types, how they apply in AWS, and what your organisation can do to meet these requirements during and after migration.
Types of SOC Compliance
SOC audits review how an organisation manages and protects its data. Each type of report focuses on a different area of compliance:
- SOC 1. Assesses the data security and controls for businesses handling financial data and reports.
- SOC 2. Audits the information security controls of an organisation according to five trust principles: Security, Availability, Processing integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. It is the most widely adopted SOC standard because it applies to a wide range of industries and services.
- SOC 3. Similar to SOC 2, but designed for public use. It shows that a business meets SOC 2 standards without revealing any confidential or technical details.
Best Practices of SOC Compliance in AWS
AWS holds its own certifications for SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3, covering the infrastructure that supports cloud services. However, under AWS’s Shared Responsibility Model, businesses are accountable for configuring and managing their own environments to meet SOC expectations. This is especially important during cloud migration, when legacy systems are being retired or restructured.
To support that process, the AWS specialists at WOLK recommend the following practices:
- Keep sensitive data encrypted. Properly configured, AWS Key Management Service (KMS) protects business data with encryption at rest and in transit, supporting SOC 2 Privacy and Confidentiality criteria.
- Enforce the principle of least privilege. Set clear roles for your staff and make sure they only have access to the data and tools required for their job. AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) helps you manage this, supporting your compliance with SOC rules around security and confidentiality.
- Enable continuous activity logging. Services like AWS CloudTrail and CloudWatch support your organisation’s Availability and Processing Integrity compliance. They provide you with tools to monitor data access, detect anomalies, and prevent suspicious activity.
- Automate compliance monitoring. You can use AWS Config to keep an eye on your organisation’s cloud resources and record any configuration changes. You can also receive automatic alerts and notifications when specific configurations aren’t SOC compliant, making it easier to pass audits.
Work With an AWS Security Expert
SOC compliance isn’t a one-off requirement—it’s an ongoing commitment to managing risk and maintaining transparency. The Melbourne-based team at WOLK can guide you through your AWS settings, help you set up a SOC-compliant cloud environment, and perform tests and risk assessments.
Reach out to our team today and discover how we can help you achieve and maintain SOC compliance.