A CISO’s Roadmap to Cloud-Native vs. Traditional Compliance
Discover how your company can bridge traditional compliance frameworks with cloud-native standards.
Cloud-native applications have transformed how organizations build and deliver software. By leveraging the scalability and flexibility of the cloud, businesses increasingly develop and deploy solutions faster, more efficiently, and at lower cost.
This shift has transformed industries, but it also presents new security and compliance challenges that legacy frameworks never anticipated.
Cybersecurity needs to adapt alongside this move towards cloud technologies. Relying on static controls and annual audits leaves gaps that attackers can exploit well before organizations can detect them.
Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) face the dual challenge of adapting security practices to dynamic, cloud-first environments. Additionally, companies must still demonstrate compliance to regulators, customers, and partners.
For years, organizations have relied on frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001 to demonstrate accountability and maturity. These traditional standards remain essential, but they cannot fully address the risks that cloud-native environments create.
As organizations increasingly migrate their infrastructure to the cloud, newer models like CSA STAR have emerged to address the realities of cloud-native security.
The roadmap for CISOs, therefore, involves bridging these two worlds: ensuring compliance with established standards while implementing adaptive, intelligence-driven, and cloud-native strategies.
Traditional Compliance as the Foundation
Traditional frameworks such as SOC 2 and ISO 27001 remain critical to an organization’s credibility.
SOC 2 Overview
SOC 2, widely adopted in North America, is particularly suitable for service providers and SaaS companies that need to demonstrate robust security practices to clients. Its five Trust Service Principles (security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy) offer a flexible framework that organizations can tailor to their specific risk profiles.
ISO 27001
ISO 27001 is a widely recognized standard that provides a structured framework for creating and maintaining an Information Security Management System (ISMS). It goes beyond the trust service principles by demanding formal risk assessments and continuous improvement cycles.
For multinational organizations, ISO 27001 offers both international credibility and an integrated approach to risk management.
These frameworks form the bedrock of compliance. They assure customers, regulators, and partners that an organization has not only considered its risks but also established the governance structures to manage them.
However, while essential, they are not enough on their own to address the speed and complexity of modern threats.
The Rise of Cloud-Native Standards
As organizations shift to the cloud, we’re seeing a different set of requirements emerge. Legacy compliance standards were not designed with cloud-native architectures in mind, and this is where the Cloud Security Alliance’s STAR program fills the gap.
The CSA STAR expands on the principles of ISO 27001 but adapts them for cloud environments. Its multi-level framework, from self-assessments to ongoing third-party audits, enables organisations to show both compliance and transparency. This is especially vital in environments where infrastructure is elastic, distributed, and often outsourced.
For businesses that are either born in the cloud or undergoing rapid cloud transformation, CSA STAR provides a way to reassure clients and regulators that you are addressing cloud-specific risks.
In this way, CSA STAR does not replace SOC 2 or ISO 27001 but complements them, providing the cloud-native counterpart to traditional compliance frameworks.
Choosing the Right Frameworks
CISOs often face the practical question: Which compliance framework is most appropriate for us? The answer depends on geography, industry, and business model.
- Organizations with a strong North American presence and frequent vendor risk assessments often find SOC 2 unavoidable.
- Global enterprises or those with complex governance requirements typically gravitate toward ISO 27001.
- Cloud service providers benefit most from CSA STAR, particularly when clients demand evidence of cloud-specific assurances.
Rather than treating these frameworks as competing obligations, many CISOs now pursue alignment. By mapping controls across SOC 2, ISO 27001, and CSA STAR, organizations can eliminate redundancy and create a unified compliance strategy. This reduces audit fatigue and also creates a single operational backbone that serves both traditional and cloud-native requirements.
A Quick Comparison
Beyond Compliance: Building Adaptive Security
Compliance frameworks, while helpful, are often retrospective in nature. They confirm what was true at the time of the audit, but cannot guarantee readiness against tomorrow’s attack.
Adversaries, by contrast, are adaptive. They change tactics quickly, exploit legitimate system tools in “living off the land” attacks, and take advantage of the blind spots that static controls inevitably leave.
This is why CISOs must treat compliance as the foundation, not the finish line. A modern roadmap integrates traditional and cloud-native standards with adaptive, intelligence-led strategies.
This approach emphasizes:
- Continuous monitoring and analytics that move beyond point-in-time checks.
- Threat intelligence that provides early warning of adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
- Cloud-native tools, such as scalable SIEMs and automated SOAR platforms, enable faster detection and response.
By layering adaptive defences on top of compliance frameworks, CISOs transform standards from static checklists into living systems that evolve alongside threats.
A CISO’s Roadmap
To make the discussion more concrete, consider a roadmap for CISOs who want to bridge traditional and cloud-native compliance:
- Establish a compliance foundation based on SOC 2 or ISO 27001, depending on your unique business requirements and location.
- Introduce CSA STAR to address cloud-native needs and enhance transparency in cloud-first settings.
- Map controls across frameworks to streamline evidence collection and minimize duplication.
- Embed adaptive security measures such as continuous monitoring, proactive threat intelligence, and automated response.
- Invest in advanced tools and training to turn compliance obligations into tangible, real-world resilience.
- Foster operational excellence by maintaining rigorous patch management, testing incident response plans, and cultivating a culture of security awareness across the enterprise.
Turning Compliance into Competitive Advantage
Traditional compliance frameworks such as SOC 2 and ISO 27001 provide organizations with credibility, structure, and assurance. Cloud-native standards such as CSA STAR extend that assurance into environments that are more dynamic and distributed.
For CISOs, the challenge—and the opportunity—is not to select one framework over another, but to build a bridge that integrates them into a unified, adaptable roadmap.
By combining the credibility of traditional compliance with the flexibility of cloud-native standards and by layering intelligence-led defences on top, organizations can achieve more than compliance. They can achieve resilience.
And resilience, more than any single framework, is what will determine whether enterprises can withstand the next wave of cyber threats.
At Securisea, we help organizations turn compliance into a strategic advantage by aligning established frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001 with cloud-native standards such as CSA STAR. From readiness and gap assessments to complete audits and continuous monitoring, we make sure businesses can meet the demands of today’s security frameworks and tomorrow’s challenges.
Talk to a Securisea specialist today and build a roadmap that turns compliance into resilience.
Success Story: Systems East + Securisea
Systems East Inc. reached out to Securisea based on a referral from their hosting provider. Although Systems East had an exceptionally mature PCI compliance program, their existing assessor company had become disorganized as it had grown, leading to their auditors repeatedly asking for the same evidence multiple times which in turn delays completion of the entire engagement. Systems East was working with one of the largest PCI compliance advisors in the country, had gone through the entire process for PCI, submitted evidence, and were left waiting in the cold for weeks. After multiple calls, inquiries, with no reply - Systems East learned that their QSA had been pulled from the project, assigned to a much larger client where they were needed, and there was no timeline for completing their certification.
Systems East selected Securisea as their PCI compliance partner in response to their existing hosting provider’s strong recommendation. According to Peter Rogati, “Securisea came in right away and understood our business, our past experiences, our needs, and helped us move forward.”
According to Rogati, other firms in the past had presented a menu of a la carte services for them to choose from, and everything had a cost. There was little guidance, it was “tell us what you want and we’ll sell it to you”. With Securisea, Systems East found a partner that took the time to listen to their wants, their motivations, and then advise them on the best path forward. Securisea was able to guide Systems East through the audit process, while also keeping them from doing things they really didn’t need to do.
SOC2 + HIPAA Compliance: Combining Controls for Maximum Security
At Securisea we are often asked to combine the work of two or more of the many audits we are licensed to perform in order to reduce, if not eliminate, repeat work of preparing for and completing audit evidence collection. While we are highly effective at multitasking across a range of assurance engagements, one of the most direct ways of achieving this is the SOC2+ audit, which allows us to issue under our CPA license a combined audit or SOC 2 as well as any additional engagement type. The most common case of this by far is the SOC2+HIPAA engagement.
SOC 2 and HIPAA are two critical regulatory frameworks that provide detailed guidelines for securing and protecting customer and patient data. Compliance with both SOC 2 and HIPAA not only shields organizations from potential data breaches, but also demonstrates a strong commitment to information security and privacy, fostering trust.
Understanding SOC 2
SOC 2, which stands for Service Organization Control 2, outlines standards for companies to securely manage customer data. Created by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), SOC 2 is crucial for organizations providing SaaS (Software as a Service) and cloud services.
The framework is built around five Trust Services Criteria: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
- Security ensures data protection against unauthorized access.
- Availability ensures that systems are operational and accessible when needed.
- Processing Integrity ensures data processing is complete, accurate, and authorized.
- Confidentiality protects sensitive information.
- Privacy governs the collection, use, retention, and disposal of personal information according to an organization’s privacy policy and applicable laws.
SOC 2 has two types of audit reports:
- Type I assesses the design of internal controls at a specific point in time.
- Type II evaluates both the design and operational effectiveness of controls over a period.
Understanding HIPAA
HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a US federal law that sets standards for protecting sensitive patient data. Enacted in 1996, its main goal is to protect the confidentiality and integrity of patient health information, also known as PHI (Protected Health Information).
HIPAA consists of several rules:
- The Privacy Rule sets standards for using and disclosing PHI.
- The Security Rule addresses electronic PHI (ePHI) and requires administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure its security.
- The Breach Notification Rule mandates reporting of any data breaches involving PHI.
Compliance with HIPAA is mandatory for covered entities (healthcare providers, health plans, healthcare clearinghouses) and their business associates.
Benefits of SOC 2 + HIPAA Compliance
Achieving compliance with both SOC 2 and HIPAA offers numerous benefits for healthcare organizations handling sensitive patient data.
- Enhanced Security Controls: Adhering to both regulations ensures robust security measures, reducing the risk of data breaches and associated financial and reputational damage.
- Customer Trust: Compliance demonstrates a commitment to protecting customer data, enhancing trust with current customers and attracting new ones.
- Complementary Frameworks: SOC 2’s Trust Services Criteria align with HIPAA’s Security Rule, making compliance efforts more efficient and effective.
Securisea Simplifies SOC 2 + HIPAA Compliance
The complementary nature of SOC 2 and HIPAA allows for a unified approach to compliance, benefiting organizations in the healthcare sector or those working with healthcare data.
Securisea’s integrated approach to security and compliance translates into real savings of both time and money for our clients, helping them reach their goal of achieving and maintaining SOC 2 and HIPAA compliance more quickly.
As a trusted advisor, Securisea will work alongside you to understand your business, and help you meet your security and compliance objectives.
FAQs
Does SOC 2 cover HIPAA compliance?
While SOC 2 does not specifically cover HIPAA, a SOC 2 report can include controls relevant to HIPAA, particularly in security and privacy areas. SOC 2 compliance can complement HIPAA efforts by ensuring robust security practices, but it does not replace a comprehensive HIPAA compliance assessment.
How does SOC 2 map to HIPAA?
SOC 2’s security and privacy principles align with HIPAA’s Security and Privacy Rules. For example:
- SOC 2’s Security Principle aligns with HIPAA’s administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for ePHI.
- SOC 2’s Privacy Principle can be adapted to meet HIPAA’s standards for PHI use, disclosure, and protection.
What is the difference between HITRUST and SOC 2?
HITRUST is designed for the healthcare industry, providing a framework for HIPAA compliance, while SOC 2 applies to any service provider managing customer data. HITRUST certification demonstrates compliance with healthcare-specific requirements, whereas SOC 2 ensures adherence to general data management standards.
By understanding and implementing both SOC 2 and HIPAA frameworks, organizations can significantly enhance their data security and privacy measures, ensuring comprehensive protection for sensitive information.
Success Story: SimpliGov + Securisea
SimpliGov selected Securisea as their comprehensive audit partner in 2023. According to CEO David O’Connell, “We started our search looking for auditors on the FedRamp Marketplace. Securisea stood out to us as an auditor that was just the right size - they had demonstrated experience, and had been recognized since 2020; but appeared to be an agile organization where we would get a level of responsiveness that we were looking for.
SimpliGov first tasked Securisea with their PCI and HIPAA audits in early 2023. According to O’Connell, “the process was great, there were absolutely no issues whatsoever”. The Securisea team delivered an exceptional customer experience and SimpliGov specifically noted the speedy turnaround, frictionless communications, and general openness and candor they experienced in working with Securisea.
Securisea is now helping SimpliGov with a FedRAMP Readiness Assessment. As one of only 43 FedRAMP approved 3PAOs, Securisea has the ability to leverage existing controls from other audits for greater efficiencies through the FedRAMP process.
FedRAMP ATO For Small Businesses: A Wealth of Opportunity
While the FedRAMP process can proportionately require more company resources for a small business, there are also advantages. With a smaller team where team members wear multiple hats, in many cases the FedRAMP accreditation process can happen faster than it does for a large corporation burdened with more layers of bureaucracy and silos.
Securisea works with businesses of all sizes, but we offer some strategic advantages when it comes to FedRAMP for small businesses and startups. We are an agile, nimble organization ready to meet you where you are, helping you create a path to FedRAMP ATO tailored specifically to your organization and your cloud-based offering.
Securisea’s Offerings for Achieving FedRAMP ATO as a FedRamp-Authorized 3PAO
- FedRAMP Advisory & Consulting. Our team provides guidance on business strategy and methodologies, system design, remediation efforts, and documentation of the environment and security control implementations. Additionally, Securisea is capable of developing a system security plan (SSP), crafting policies and procedures, and creating other essential system documentation.
- FedRAMP Readiness Assessment. Your 3PAO performs the necessary readiness capabilities assessment to evaluate your cloud's preparedness for the complete FedRAMP assessment.
- Pre-Assessment. Securisea conducts a brief "gap" analysis or review of your existing cloud system documentation. The result is a high-level roadmap outlining the next steps along with the estimated levels of effort required for completion.
- Assessment. Your 3PAO prepares the necessary FedRAMP documentation, which includes:some text
- A Security Assessment Plan (SAP) that utilizes the SSP and inventory gathered in the third step.
- A Security Requirements Traceability Matrix (SRTM) to record assessment results.
- Vulnerability scans of operating systems, databases, and web applications.
- A Penetration Test Report.
- A Security Assessment Report (SAR).
- A recommendation for authorization.
- Continuous Monitoring. Monthly, quarterly, and annual continuous monitoring is required to achieve and maintain the ATO.
For small businesses, achieving FedRAMP certification opens up a vast opportunity to enter and compete in the federal marketplace, unlocking new revenue streams and establishing long-term partnerships with federal agencies. The certification not only signifies a commitment to stringent security standards but also provides a competitive edge, positioning small businesses for growth and success in the lucrative federal sector.
FedRAMP Rev. 5: What Securisea, as an Approved FedRAMP 3PAO, Wants You to Know
The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) has updated its baselines to Revision 5 (Rev. 5), aligning with NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5. This update introduces new controls, especially in Supply Chain Risk Management and privacy, heightening the alignment between FedRAMP and NIST standards.
Key Updates
Privacy Enhancements: There are updated privacy requirements across multiple control families, such as role-based privacy training (AT-3), privacy impact analysis for configuration changes (CM-3 and CM-4), and system backup requirements for privacy-related documentation (CP-9). Systems processing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) now need to provide results of privacy risk assessments
New Control Families: A notable addition is the Supply Chain Risk Management (SR) control family, which addresses risks related to third-party services, products, and supply chains comprehensively. There are also new controls like annual training on social engineering and social mining (AT-2(3)) and public disclosure programs for vulnerabilities (RA-5(11))
Red Team Exercises: For Moderate and High systems, an annual Red Team exercise is now required in addition to traditional penetration testing. This aims to provide a more in-depth cybersecurity assessment.
Password Requirements: Rev. 5 updates password requirements by eliminating specific elements related to password changes, such as minimum age and reuse restrictions. It mandates maintaining lists of common or compromised passwords and implementing password strength meters.
Encryption and Configuration Settings: New mandates require the encryption of all data-at-rest and data-in-transit using FIPS-validated or NSA-approved cryptography (SC-8, SC-13, SC-28). Configuration settings now require adherence to DoD Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs), or CIS Level 2 benchmarks if no STIG exists.
Continuous Monitoring: Enhanced continuous monitoring requirements include joint monthly meetings for CSOs authorized via the Agency path with more than one agency ATO.
Transition Guidance: The transition plan for Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) depends on their current phase. For those in the planning phase, it involves implementing and testing the Rev. 5 baseline and using updated templates. CSPs already in the initiation or continuous monitoring phases need to identify and address the differences between their current implementation and Rev. 5 requirements
Affected Parties
All Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) seeking FedRAMP compliance must transition to Rev. 5, impacting those in various authorization phases: planning, initiation, or continuous monitoring.
Transition Timelines
- Planning Phase: For CSPs new to FedRAMP or in the readiness review process.
- Initiation Phase: For CSPs already undergoing assessments or preparing for them.
- Continuous Monitoring Phase: For CSPs with current FedRAMP authorization.
Each phase has specific deadlines to meet the Rev. 5 requirements.
Steps for Transition
- Develop a Schedule: Include major milestones and activities for transitioning.
- Update Documentation: Use new templates provided by FedRAMP.
- Determine Scope of Assessment: Identify specific controls needing assessment.
- Complete Security Assessment: Follow updated processes for testing controls.
- Submit Required Reports: Prepare and submit the Security Assessment Plan (SAP) and Security Assessment Report (SAR).
How Securisea Can Help
As an approved FedRAMP Third Party Assessment Organization (3PAO), Securisea is equipped to guide CSPs through the transition. We offer expertise in developing schedules, updating documentation, and performing security assessments to ensure compliance with the new Rev. 5 standards.
By leveraging our experience and thorough understanding of the FedRAMP requirements, Securisea helps streamline the transition process, ensuring CSPs meet their compliance goals efficiently.
For further guidance on transitioning to FedRAMP Rev. 5, please visit FedRAMP Rev. 5 Transition Guide.
Navigating PCI DSS 4.0: Key Changes and Strategies
Ensuring PCI DSS 4.0 compliance is crucial for organizations handling cardholder data. This latest update not only protects against cyber threats and security breaches but also aligns with the rapidly evolving payment industry and its technologies. By adopting PCI DSS 4.0, organizations can promote security as a continuous, proactive process, staying ahead in a constantly changing digital landscape.
With the rollout of PCI DSS v4.0, understanding and preparing for the changes is essential to avoid compliance delays. Here’s what you need to know about transitioning to PCI DSS 4.0:
Key Dates:
March 31, 2024: Old reporting templates are obsolete.
March 31, 2025: Future-dated requirements must be met.
Preparation Tips:
- Engage Early: Consult a qualified security assessor (QSA) now.
- Use Readiness Assessments: Gauge your preparedness.
- Be Efficient: Leverage compliance reporting from other standards
Understanding the Changes:
- PCI DSS 4.0 increases complexity, requiring detailed documentation.
- Costs may rise due to enhanced requirements and third-party vendor fees.
Planning Tips:
- Self-Assessment: Conduct a self-assessment or readiness assessment.
- Filing Date: Consider moving your filing date to avoid deadline rush.
- Compliance Essentials: Automate evidence collection and compliance management.
Key Takeaways:
Early planning and preparation are vital to manage costs, reduce frustration, and ensure compliance with PCI DSS 4.0. Talk with a Securisea Expert to ensure your compliance with PCI DSS 4.0 standards.
Why Securisea?
Securisea is one of only a handful of audit firms in the world certified to provide CSA STAR, ISO27001 and 27701, SOC2, SOC1, PCI DSS, FedRAMP/StateRAMP 3PAO, HITRUST & HIPAA assessments all under one roof. Their integrated compliance approach allows clients to leverage existing security controls from other frameworks directly into each engagement, reducing overhead and work duplication.
- Broadly certified and trusted by clients
- 18+ years of successful engagements
- Remote presence across the US & Canada
- Capable and experienced technical team
- Strive toward client satisfaction
- Engagement process structured toward maximum simplicity
- Flexibility with existing systems, tools, and with scheduling
- Awarded a seat as a GEAR Advisor by PCI Council
