The Importance of SOC® Attestation for Managed Service Providers and Their Clients
Why Your MSP Should Have a SOC 2 Type II Attestation
With more and more companies in 2025 looking to move diverse facets of their IT operations to Managed Service Providers (MSPs), one topic that often comes up is how your organization evaluates the security of a service provider’s operations. Perhaps you should send each of the prospective MSPs a vendor security assessment questionnaire (VSAQ) and evaluate their responses?
That may not work out, as many organizations will not complete a VSAQ for a prospective client or organization not under a mutual non-disclosure agreement (MNDA). On top of that, responses on a VSAQ aren’t generally supported by evidence and may be written to shield the service provider from scrutiny.
A better option for conducting a balanced comparison of security postures is to ask the MSP for an evaluation of their security program from an independent auditor. But with so many frameworks—PCI, ISO27001, NIST CSF—how do you choose?
Enter the SOC (and no, not the Security Operations Center). SOC, which stands for System and Organization Controls, is an evaluation program created by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). SOC 2 for Service Organizations is a prime example of how a business can quickly evaluate the application and effectiveness of a service provider’s information security, risk management, and organizational governance programs.
The Many Flavors of SOC
Under the umbrella of SOC for Service Organizations, there are three different versions of SOC reports available for service providers to choose from. AICPA also specifies two different types of SOC reports, depending on the needs of the evaluated organization.
- SOC 1 is an evaluation of the controls that an organization has around financial reporting. While this could be useful if you’re outsourcing critical business functions, it’s generally not the type of report you need from an MSP.
- SOC 2 is based on the AICPA’s Trust Services Criteria and evaluates the suitability of controls as they relate to security, confidentiality, availability, processing integrity, and privacy. This is the core report you should request from an MSP. It includes a detailed description of the organization and its systems, as well as the internal controls being assessed.
- SOC 3 is also based on the Trust Services Criteria and is usually conducted alongside a SOC 2. Unlike the SOC 2, it omits detailed control descriptions, making it ideal for public sharing on websites or with prospects not under NDA.
Both SOC 1 and SOC 2 can be delivered as either:
- Type I, which evaluates control design at a single point in time.
- Type II, which evaluates both the design and operational effectiveness of those controls over a defined review period (usually 12 months). This is the more comprehensive and valuable option.
Why You Want Your MSP to Have a SOC Attestation
Now that we’ve covered the types of SOC reports, why should you require a SOC 2 Type II attestation from any MSP you’re seriously considering?
Every SOC 2/3 report is conducted against the Trust Services Criteria to ensure adequate controls around organizational oversight, vendor management, data security, availability, and confidentiality. When controls are lacking, the independent auditor will either guide the organization toward remediation or issue a finding in the report.
A SOC 2 Type II report doesn’t just say the right controls exist—it proves they are being followed over time. For example, if an MSP claims to require 15-character passwords, the Type II report provides evidence that this control is enforced and monitored in real-world operations.
Atomic Data: SOC 2 Type II Attested Every Year
At Atomic Data, we are proud to undergo an independent SOC 2 Type II attestation every year. This rigorous process not only affirms our commitment to information security and operational maturity but also gives our clients verifiable peace of mind.
By selecting an MSP like Atomic Data—one that consistently submits to annual SOC 2 Type II evaluations—you gain the assurance that your service provider is adhering to high standards of control, governance, and data protection throughout the year.
The Bottom Line for 2025
As IT outsourcing continues to grow and cybersecurity threats become more sophisticated, requiring a SOC 2 Type II report from your MSP is essential. It’s no longer just a “nice to have”—it’s a business-critical requirement.
Whether you’re evaluating Atomic Data or another provider, make sure you ask for a current SOC 2 Type II report. Don’t rely on promises—rely on proof.