SOC 2 Continuous Monitoring of Controls
Compliance Governance
Soc2
Company Policies

SOC 2 Continuous Monitoring of Controls

Bartek Hamerliński
3 min read

TL;DR

SOC 2 compliance requires continuous monitoring of security controls beyond just passing an annual audit, as customers and regulators expect ongoing demonstration of effective controls. Companies should implement a mix of automated tools and periodic manual reviews to monitor critical areas like user access management, system logs, and configuration management, ensuring controls remain effective and compliance gaps are caught before auditors discover them.

Passing a SOC 2 audit once is not the finish line; it's the starting point. Today, customers, partners, and regulators expect companies to demonstrate continuous compliance, not just during an annual review. That's where continuous monitoring of SOC 2 controls comes in.

In this article, we'll break down what continuous monitoring means in the SOC 2 context, why it's critical for small and medium-sized businesses, and how you can build a sustainable monitoring process without drowning in manual work.

What Is Continuous Monitoring in SOC 2?

Continuous monitoring means regularly checking and validating whether your SOC 2 controls remain effective over time. Unlike a one-time audit snapshot, monitoring ensures that processes, access rights, and security practices work every single day.

Think of it as the bridge between policy and reality. Policies might say "all employees must use multi-factor authentication," but monitoring proves that MFA is actually enforced across all accounts, all the time.

Why SOC 2 Requires Monitoring of Controls

SOC 2 is based on the Trust Services Criteria (TSC), which emphasize ongoing oversight. For example:

  • CC1.3 requires management to evaluate internal controls on an ongoing basis.
  • CC7.2 expects companies to monitor systems and detect security events.

Without monitoring, controls can degrade silently. Employees come and go, configurations drift, and security gaps appear. Monitoring ensures you can catch issues before an auditor or worse, a customer does.

Key Areas That Require Monitoring

SOC 2 auditors typically expect continuous evidence in these areas:

  • User access management – Are accounts for terminated employees disabled immediately?
  • System logs and alerts – Are unusual login attempts or failed MFA prompts flagged?
  • Configuration and patch management – Are servers and applications updated regularly?
  • HR compliance – Are NDAs, Code of Conduct acknowledgments, and training records kept current?
  • Vendor risk management – Are third-party tools reviewed for compliance and security?

Tip: Start by identifying the 5–7 controls most critical to your business operations, then expand monitoring gradually.

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How to Monitor SOC 2 Controls Continuously

1. Automate Where Possible

Tools like SIEMs, GRC platforms, or endpoint monitoring solutions can flag anomalies automatically. For SMBs, even lightweight solutions (e.g., Google Workspace admin logs) can go a long way.

2. Use Periodic Manual Reviews

Some tasks—like reviewing user access lists or checking policy acknowledgments—can be done quarterly or monthly. The key is to document them.

3. Run Internal Spot Checks

Before your external audit, test a few sample controls yourself. Can you easily pull evidence of MFA? Do you have logs of terminated user accounts? These "mini-audits" reduce surprises later.

4. Document Everything

Auditors love documentation. Keep screenshots, logs, and signed records. Store them in a single compliance folder so you don't waste time chasing files during the audit.

Challenges and Best Practices

Challenges companies face:

  • Compliance fatigue: employees feel overwhelmed by constant reminders.
  • Manual overhead: too many spreadsheets and checklists.
  • False confidence: relying only on annual audits.

Best practices to adopt:

  • Balance automation with human oversight—tools can miss context.
  • Assign clear ownership for each control (no "shared responsibility confusion").
  • Review your monitoring process at least once a year—controls evolve as your company grows.

Continuous monitoring is bigger than any single framework or certification. It's a way of keeping controls alive, making sure policies work in practice, and ensuring that risks don't accumulate quietly over time.

For growing companies, this approach supports resilience, transparency, and trust with customers and partners. Whether you're aiming for SOC 2, ISO 27001, or preparing for future regulatory requirements, the habit of monitoring controls continuously creates a foundation that makes every compliance journey easier.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to prepare for a SOC 2 audit?

With traditional approaches, 6-12 months. With proper planning and automation tools, 3-6 months is achievable. The timeline depends on your starting point—companies with existing policies and documentation move faster than those building from scratch.

Can we handle compliance entirely in-house without consultants?

Many startups do, especially with modern automation tools. The key is having someone own the process, using frameworks like SOC 2 or ISO 27001 as guides, and maintaining consistent documentation. Compliance automation platforms provide the structure and guidance that previously required consultant expertise.

How does AI help automate SOC 2 continuous monitoring for small businesses?

Humadroid's AI can automatically track and document SOC 2 control effectiveness 24/7, flagging issues like disabled MFA, configuration drift, or access violations in real-time. This eliminates the manual overhead of spreadsheet tracking and provides continuous evidence collection that traditional $200k+ consultants would charge extensively to maintain.

What's the cost of continuous SOC 2 monitoring tools vs hiring compliance consultants?

AI-powered platforms like Humadroid cost $125-250/month for continuous SOC 2 monitoring, compared to consultants who charge $200k+ annually for similar oversight. The AI provides 24/7 automated control monitoring and documentation, while consultants typically only provide periodic reviews and manual processes.

Can I automate SOC 2 control monitoring without losing audit readiness?

Yes, automated SOC 2 monitoring actually improves audit readiness by providing continuous evidence collection and real-time control validation. Humadroid's AI maintains audit trails automatically, documents control effectiveness daily, and alerts you to issues before they become audit findings—something manual processes often miss.

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