What controls overlap between SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA?
March 6, 20261 min readBeyond SOC 2
Control Overlap Map
| Control Area | SOC 2 | ISO 27001 | HIPAA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access control (MFA, RBAC) | CC6.1-6.8 | A.9 | §164.312(a) |
| Change management | CC8.1 | A.14 | §164.312(e) |
| Incident response | CC7.3-7.5 | A.16 | §164.308(a)(6) |
| Risk assessment | CC3.1-3.4 | Clause 6.1 | §164.308(a)(1) |
| Encryption | CC6.7 | A.10 | §164.312(a)(2)(iv) |
| Logging and monitoring | CC7.1-7.2 | A.12.4 | §164.312(b) |
| Vendor management | CC9.1-9.2 | A.15 | §164.308(b) |
| Security training | CC1.4 | A.7.2 | §164.308(a)(5) |
| Data backup | A1.2 | A.12.3 | §164.308(a)(7) |
| Physical security | CC6.4 | A.11 | §164.310 |
What Each Framework Adds Uniquely
SOC 2 Only
- Trust Services Criteria flexibility (choose which criteria to include)
- System description requirement (Section 3)
- CPA attestation model
ISO 27001 Only
- Formal ISMS (Information Security Management System) requirement
- Statement of Applicability document
- Management review process
- Continual improvement mandate
HIPAA Only
- PHI-specific data handling rules
- Business Associate Agreement requirements
- Breach notification (60-day timeline)
- Minimum necessary standard (only access PHI needed for the task)
- Patient rights (access, amendment, accounting of disclosures)
Building on SOC 2
If you start with SOC 2 and then pursue ISO 27001 or HIPAA:
| Adding to SOC 2 | Additional Work | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| + ISO 27001 | ISMS documentation, Statement of Applicability, management review process | 2-4 months |
| + HIPAA | BAA template, PHI data mapping, breach notification process, privacy controls | 1-2 months |
| + Both | Combined additional work | 3-5 months |
The shared controls (access, encryption, change management, incident response) don't need to be re-implemented — just mapped to the new framework's requirements.