Revitalizing SOC 2 and Beyond: How Drata Transforms Compliance and Auditing

The safeguarding of networks and information assets continues to be an increasing focus for organisations with global growth ambitions. As data exchanges grow more complex and the scope of regulations expand, frameworks such as SOC 2 have risen to the top of the priority list for CISOs, procurement managers, and risk & compliance teams.

Obtaining a clean SOC 2 report from a reputable auditor is no easy feat, which is why it proves to be such an important asset in signaling to the broader market that your organization can be trusted in the context of its cybersecurity posture. Many businesses implementing these frameworks also realize broader risk management benefits—they now have a process in place to make informed strategic decisions based on the varied risks they have assessed across all facets of their organization.

The research shows that this type of governance mechanism yields long-term shareholder value by virtue of improved decision-making, enhanced trust with all stakeholders, and resilience during operational or financial crises.

When implemented effectively, these frameworks become powerful tools that provide structure for assessing and mitigating threats. However, the implementation of multiple frameworks—each with its own nuances—introduces complexity. As a result, organizations are looking for extensible approaches. Evan Routenberg, BDO UK’s Digital Third Party Assurance leader, observes that “as the number of frameworks and compliance obligations continue to rise, organizations are looking to the scalable automated compliance solutions as a way to manage these risks and cost of compliance effectively." These solutions should not only facilitate the implementation and maintenance of these frameworks, but also support an effective streamlined audit process.

Navigating Complex Frameworks

Frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, and DORA (as well as many others) are structured similarly—they define high-level requirements to which an organization must adhere. For organizations pursuing compliance for the first time, interpreting the open language within these frameworks’ requirements is an arduous task. On the other hand, more mature organizations which have already implemented multiple frameworks will often struggle with the administrative burden of the compliance activity associated with each.

Drata’s solution targets the problems that span the spectrum of compliance maturity. Its built-in control mapping guides customers on which specific activities they can implement (and the associated evidence) to address the nuanced requirements of each framework, as well as highlighting where these controls are shared across numerous frameworks to prevent duplicating workloads.

This alignment of cross-framework controls is particularly useful for organizations juggling multiple obligations, and enables Drata to act as a ‘golden source of truth’ for all compliance activities and documentation. The manual alternative is characterized by folders of disparate spreadsheets, evidence stored in email inboxes, and tasks which are overdue owing to resource constraints and a lack of organized workflows.

Beyond guiding and consolidating compliance activity, Drata also stands out in its capacity to automate the operational components of running these frameworks. Our API connections and AI capabilities support user access reviews, policy acceptance tracking, code scanning for inherent security flaws, and due diligence questionnaire responses.

Transforming the Audit Process

A vital aspect of compliance with frameworks like SOC 2 or ISO 27001 is the audit itself, as it’s the ultimate test of an organization’s processes and controls, and an opportunity for organizations to identify areas for improvement throughout their operating model. The higher the audit quality, the greater the insight on best practices.

In this regard, Drata’s functionality lends itself to both an efficient and a high quality audit. By providing auditors with instant access to the required evidence, the resulting transparency allows both parties to focus efforts on assessing and remediating the design and operations of the underlying controls. The administrative burden associated with the manual alternative makes this dynamic less feasible. Put simply, the time saved during the audit is time gained in implementing best practice guidance from industry experts.

Leading professional services firms, including BDO UK, recognize the value of having a consolidated and automated environment for audit documentation. “Historically, these audit technologies were mostly ‘smart’ evidence repositories with project management functionality. Automated compliance solutions are advancing, and in turn enabling significant audit efficiencies. We see increased adoption of these technologies in organisations ranging from start-up to enterprise. These are expected to drive efficiencies and manage the ever-increasing cost of compliance,” says Evan Routenberg.

In particular, what resonates with many auditors is the fact that, when implemented effectively, Drata demonstrates that an organization has a strong risk-aware culture and control environment. This is a crucial component of the COSO framework, which is the very foundation of SOC 2. Through its continuous monitoring, risk assessment, and workflow functionality, Drata is able to permeate the ‘tone at the top’ and effect a risk-first mindset throughout an organization.

The culmination of Drata and a SOC 2 environment that has undergone a rigorous, high-quality audit is not just a report (which itself is an invaluable strategic asset), but also a genuinely secure and continuously improving system—the ultimate end goal on any journey toward compliance.

An Ongoing Conversation: Quality vs Speed and Efficiency

Drata operates in a marketplace often characterized by slogans like “compliance in under two months” or “automate 90% of controls." More often than not, these accelerated timelines and grandiose promises fall short and tend to raise the eyebrows of those with actual audit experience. Drata stands firm is in its focus on sustainability and long-term success. As Evan Routenberg cautions, “Automated compliance solutions can provide a positive impact and enable better governance; however, they should not be seen as a ‘silver bullet’ for compliance or good governance. Together with a robust GRC program, these tools can provide insight and provide compliance effort efficiencies."

True compliance is not purely about speed, rather it is establishing the right structures and behaviours that can consistently protect an organization’s data and systems in the long run. Organizations that adopt this way of working often find that they not only adhere to their compliance requirements, but their mature GRC practices benefit them in a way that genuinely strengthens their market position.

Looking ahead, the future of compliance and security is likely to become even more intricate. The rise of state-sponsored cyber threats, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, and the proliferation of new regulatory standards all point to the same conclusion: a need for robust, adaptable GRC frameworks. Drata will continue to be indispensable in addressing these challenges, guiding organizations toward not only successful certifications but also sustainable, long-term risk management strategies. For leaders seeking to protect their data, maintain trust, and fuel strategic growth, the path forward is clear: embrace solutions that transform compliance from a checkbox exercise into a sustainable advantage—an approach that Drata is positioned to deliver.