SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2 · For Dubai tech and service companies
SOC 2 Compliance in Dubai
Intello gets Dubai companies ready for a SOC 2 audit. We assess your controls against the Trust Services Criteria, build what is missing, collect the evidence and work with your CPA auditor until your SOC 2 Type 1 or Type 2 report is issued.
- Dubai-based team since 2003
- 500+ clients
- 99% client satisfaction
What is SOC 2?
SOC 2 is an independent audit report on how a service company protects its clients’ data, based on the AICPA’s Trust Services Criteria. It is not a certificate: a licensed CPA firm audits your controls and issues a report you can share with clients under NDA. A Type 1 report covers control design at one date; a Type 2 report covers how controls worked over a period.
| Framework | AICPA Trust Services Criteria: Security (always included), plus Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality and Privacy if relevant |
|---|---|
| Who audits | An independent licensed CPA firm. Consultants prepare you; they cannot issue the report |
| Type 1 | Controls designed properly at a single point in time |
| Type 2 | Controls working over an observation period, usually 3 to 12 months |
| Who asks for it | Enterprise buyers, especially in the US, in vendor security reviews |
| Where we work | From our Dubai office in Al Qusais, on site anywhere in Dubai and remotely |
SOC 2 for Dubai companies selling worldwide
SOC 2 matters most to Dubai companies whose clients are abroad. A SOC 2 report answers most of the security questions that would otherwise arrive as long questionnaires.
Dubai Internet City and Dubai Silicon Oasis
SaaS and software companies selling to US and global enterprises, where a SOC 2 report is often required to close the deal.
DIFC fintechs
Payment, lending and wealth platforms that serve banks and partners abroad. See also DFSA compliance.
DMCC
Technology, data and outsourcing businesses licensed in DMCC that host or process client data.
Dubai Media City and Dubai South
Media, marketing technology, logistics and e-commerce platforms handling client data at scale.
Managed service providers
IT, cloud and security providers whose clients must assess them as critical suppliers.
Companies already ISO 27001 certified
Most of your controls carry over. We map your ISO 27001 ISMS to the Trust Services Criteria and close the gaps.
Also available: SOC 2 in Abu Dhabi · SOC 2 across the UAE · SOC 2 in Sharjah
Do you need a SOC 2 report?
A SOC 2 report is usually worth it if any of these apply to you:
- A client or prospect has asked for your SOC 2 report in a security review
- You sell software, cloud or data services to enterprises, especially in the US
- Your sales team spends weeks answering security questionnaires
- You host, process or store client data as a service provider
- You already have ISO 27001 and clients still ask for SOC 2
- A partner or investor wants independent proof of your security controls
Not sure whether your clients want SOC 2 or ISO 27001? Many Dubai companies selling to both the Gulf and the US end up with both. We will tell you which to do first in the readiness call.
What SOC 2 compliance involves
The Security criteria (the common criteria in the [2017 Trust Services Criteria](https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/download/2017-trust-services-criteria-with-revised-points-of-focus-2022)) are in every SOC 2 report. The other four categories are added only if they matter to your clients.
Control environment and governance
Board or management oversight, an organisation chart, a code of conduct and clear security roles.
Risk assessment
A documented, repeatable process for identifying and managing risks, including fraud and supplier risk.
Access control
Joiner, mover and leaver processes, multi-factor authentication, least privilege and regular access reviews.
Change management
Approved, tested and recorded changes to code and infrastructure, with separation of duties.
System operations and monitoring
Logging, alerting, vulnerability management and incident response that are running and evidenced.
Vendor management
Due diligence and monitoring of the suppliers and cloud services that touch client data.
Availability and continuity
Backups, disaster recovery and capacity planning, if your clients depend on uptime.
Confidentiality and privacy
Data classification, encryption, retention and deletion, and privacy practices, if they are in scope.
How we get you to a SOC 2 report
A clear sequence from first call to report, with the audit firm involved early so there are no surprises.
- 1
Readiness call and scoping
We agree the system in scope, which Trust Services Criteria to include, and whether to start with Type 1 or go straight to Type 2.
Week 0 · free
- 2
Readiness assessment
Your current controls tested against the chosen criteria, with a gap list ranked by audit risk.
Weeks 1–3
- 3
Remediation and policies
Missing controls built, policies written and tools set up, with your engineering and operations teams. A compliance automation platform can speed up evidence collection.
Weeks 3–10
- 4
Evidence and mock audit
Evidence organised the way auditors ask for it, then a mock audit to catch gaps early.
Before the audit
- 5
Type 1 audit
The CPA firm checks control design at a single date. Useful when a client needs a report quickly.
Optional
- 6
Type 2 observation and audit
Controls run and evidence is collected through the observation period. We support you through the audit until the report is issued.
3–12 months
A first Type 1 report is often possible within three to four months. A Type 2 report needs an observation period on top of that.
What you get
- Readiness assessment against the selected Trust Services Criteria
- Scope and system description draft
- Prioritised gap list and remediation plan
- SOC 2 policy set: security, access, change, incident, vendor, continuity and more
- Control matrix mapping each criterion to your controls and evidence
- Evidence collection plan and mock audit
- Support choosing a CPA firm and during the audit
- Mapping to ISO 27001 if you have or want both
Choose how we work with you
SOC 2 readiness assessment
2–3 weeksBest for: Knowing exactly what an auditor would find
- · Control testing
- · Gap list
- · Remediation roadmap
Full SOC 2 programme
3–12 monthsBest for: Getting from zero to a report
- · Readiness and remediation
- · Policies and evidence
- · Audit support for Type 1 and Type 2
Ongoing SOC 2 support
YearlyBest for: Yearly Type 2 renewals
- · Evidence reviews
- · Control monitoring
- · Renewal audit support
Is a deal waiting on your SOC 2 report?
Tell us when your client needs it. We will tell you whether a Type 1 report can get there first and what a Type 2 will take.
SOC 2 Type 1 vs Type 2
Most clients ultimately want a Type 2 report. A Type 1 report can be a faster first step when a deal is waiting.
| SOC 2 Type 1 | SOC 2 Type 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| What it tests | Whether controls are designed properly | Whether controls worked over a period |
| Period covered | A single date | Usually 3 to 12 months |
| Time to report | Faster | Longer, because of the observation period |
| What clients think of it | A good start | The report most enterprise buyers ask for |
| Renewal | Usually replaced by a Type 2 | Renewed every year |
What affects the cost of SOC 2 in Dubai
You get a written scope and a fixed consulting fee after the readiness call. These are the factors that move it:
- Criteria in scope
- Security only, or Security plus Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity or Privacy.
- System size
- The number of products, environments, cloud accounts and teams in scope.
- Starting point
- Existing ISO 27001 or security policies shorten the work considerably.
- Type 1 or Type 2
- A Type 2 includes the observation period and more evidence.
- Tooling
- Whether you use a compliance automation platform for evidence.
- Audit firm fees
- Paid directly to the CPA firm, separate from our fees. We help you compare quotes.
Why Dubai companies choose Intello for SOC 2
23+
years in UAE cybersecurity
500+
clients served
99%
client satisfaction
Controls that actually work. We help your engineers build controls that pass a Type 2, not just policies on paper.
One programme, several frameworks. Your SOC 2 controls are mapped to ISO 27001 and the UAE PDPL, so the work is reused.
We speak the auditor’s language. Evidence is organised the way CPA firms ask for it, which keeps the audit short.
Local team, global standard. Workshops on site in Dubai, for a report your US and global clients accept.
Frequently asked questions
Is SOC 2 a certification?
No. SOC 2 is an attestation report, not a certificate. An independent licensed CPA firm audits your controls against the AICPA’s Trust Services Criteria and issues a report. People often say "SOC 2 certification", but what you receive is a report you share with clients under NDA.
How much does SOC 2 cost in Dubai?
There are two parts: the consultant’s fee to get you ready, and the CPA firm’s audit fee. Both depend on the criteria in scope, the size of your system, your starting point and whether you need a Type 1 or Type 2 report. We give a fixed consulting fee after a free readiness call and help you compare audit firms.
How long does it take to get a SOC 2 report?
A Type 1 report is often possible within three to four months, depending on your starting point. A Type 2 report adds an observation period, usually three to twelve months, so a first Type 2 report commonly takes six to twelve months in total.
Can a Dubai company get a SOC 2 report?
Yes. SOC 2 is not limited to US companies. Any service organisation can engage a licensed CPA firm to audit its controls, and many audits are run largely remotely. We help Dubai companies choose an audit firm their clients will accept.
Who needs SOC 2 Type 2 compliance?
Service companies whose clients rely on them to protect data, such as SaaS, cloud, fintech, managed IT and data processing providers. It is most often requested by US enterprise buyers, and increasingly by buyers in Europe and the Gulf.
What is the difference between SOC 2 and ISO 27001?
ISO 27001 certifies a management system and is recognised worldwide, including across the Gulf and Europe. SOC 2 is an audit report on how your controls work, and is the norm with US buyers. They overlap heavily, so one programme can support both.
How often do we need a new SOC 2 report?
Most clients expect a new Type 2 report every year, covering the most recent period. Between reports, a bridge letter from your company can cover the gap until the next report is issued.
Is a penetration test required for SOC 2?
The Trust Services Criteria do not name penetration testing, but they expect you to identify and fix vulnerabilities, and most auditors and clients expect a recent independent test. We can run one through our VAPT service in Dubai.
Related services
Start your SOC 2 programme
Tell us a little about your company and when your client needs the report. We will set up a free 30-minute readiness call.
What happens next
- 1We get in touch to arrange a call
- 2A 30-minute readiness call
- 3A written scope, timeline and fixed fee
Prefer to talk now? Call +971 55 355 6787