Insider hacks to streamline your SOC 3 certification application

Alex CirceiContributorShare on TwitterAlex Circei is CEO and co-founder of Waydev, a Git analytics tool that helps engineering leaders measure team performance automatically.More posts by this contributor

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If you're a tech company offering anyone a service, somewhere in your future is a security assessment giving you the seal of approval to manage clients' data and operate on your devices. No one takes security lightly anymore. The business costs of cyberattacks have now hit an all-time high. Government bodies, companies and consumers need the assurance that the next software they download isn't going to be an open door for hackers.

For good reason, security certifications like the SOC 3 really put you through the wringer. My company, Waydev, has just attained the SOC 3 certification, becoming one of the first development analytics tools to receive that accreditation. We learned so much from the process, we felt it was right to share our experience with others that might be daunted by the prospect.

As a non-tech founder, it was hard not only to navigate the process, but to appreciate its value. But by putting our business caps on, our team was able to optimize our approach and minimize the time and effort needed to achieve our goal. In doing so, we were granted SOC 3 compliance in two weeks, as opposed to the two months it takes some companies.

We also turned the assessment into an opportunity to better our product, align our internal teams, boost our brand and even launch partnerships.

So here's our advice on how teams can smoothly reach an SOC 3 while simultaneously balancing workloads and minimizing disruption to users.

First, bring your teams on board

Because we can't expect employees to stack those hours on top of their regular workdays, as a leader you have to accept - and communicate - that the speed of your output will inevitably decrease.

As a founder, you'll be acting as captain steering a ship into that SOC 3 port, and you'll need all members of your crew to join forces. This isn't a job for a specially designated security team alone and will require deep involvement from your development and other teams, too. That might lead to internal resistance, as they still have a full-time job tending to your product and customers.

That's why it's so important to start by being crystal clear with your employees about what this process will mean to their work lives. However, they have to embrace the true benefits that will arise. SOC 3 will immediately raise your brand's appeal and likely see new customers come in as a result.

Each employee will also come out the other end with well-honed cybersecurity skills - they'll have a deep understanding of potential cyber threats to the company, and all security initiatives will carry a far lighter burden. There's also the sense of pride and fulfillment that comes with having an indisputable edge over your competitors.