Tag: isae 3402 vs ssae 16

SSAE 16 vs ISAE 3402 – Part 2 – Intentional Acts

The first difference between the SSAE 16 and ISAE 3402 Standards is that SSAE 16 requires the service auditor to assess the risk associated with potential “Intentional Acts by Service Organization Personnel”. Under SSAE 16, If the service auditor, while performing their review, notices deviations that could have been a result of an intentional act by an employee of the service organization, the auditor is required to dig into it. The reasoning for this is to determine whether or not the description of the service organization’s system is not fairly presented and that the controls are not suitably designed or operating effectively. So, it seems that in this case, the SSAE 16 standard is a bit stricter. If the auditor is not required to dig into an intentional act committed by an employee of the service organization, how would the Auditing Firm and User Organizations feel comfortable with the report? In my opinion, they shouldn’t. Without any consequences for the service organization (failed report), there is an incentive for the service organization to try and operate outside the control structure as defined as it is unlikely that they would be held responsible for their actions. This might be a question you would want to dig into if you are going to use a company that has only been issued an ISAE 3402 report. Be on the lookout for the next post related to the difference between SSAE 16 and ISAE 3402, Anomalies.

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SSAE 16 vs ISAE 3402 – Part 1

SSAE 16 was built upon the ISAE 3402 framework, which essentially is the same thing, but accepted at an international level with a number of deviations to be discussed here over time. The AICPA and other standard settings organizations are now encouraged to design their frameworks for reporting on controls at a service organization around the ISAE 3402 framework, this will allow for increased fluidity and lower expenses to complete globally. ISAE 3402 was intentionally designed to allow for minor modifications to adjust for local protocols and existing frameworks. SSAE 16 contains 9 deviations from the ISAE 3402 framework, at a high level include: 1. Intentional Acts by Service Organization Personnel 2. Anomalies 3. Direct Assistance 4. Subsequent Events 5. Statement Restricting Use of the Service Auditor’s Report 6. Documentation Completion 7. Engagement Acceptance and Continuance 8. Disclaimer of Opinion 9. Elements of the SSAE Report That are Not Required in the ISAE 3402 Report These topics will be delved into in greater depth at a later time, however, are not of concern if you do not plan on performing outsourcing services for an organization located outside of the United States.

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SOC 2 Cheat Sheet

SANS put together a great overview of SOC 2 terminology, report structure breakdown, and process in their signature cheat sheet format. This is a great document to keep handy if

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