Why demonstrable cyber security matters
Cyber security is the practice of protecting systems, networks and data from digital attacks — and it depends as much on process and people as on technology. In 2026, that protection has to be demonstrable: every enterprise buyer runs a security questionnaire, banks require evidence from anyone touching payment data, and regulators across jurisdictions are tightening their expectations. An independent cyber security audit turns “trust us” into something a customer’s security team can actually verify.
What’s included, and who needs it
ABS covers the full cyber security spectrum. That includes attestation and compliance frameworks such as SOC 1 and SOC 2, ISAE 3402 and SSAE 18, PCI DSS, and data-protection regimes including GDPR, UK GDPR, CCPA and HIPAA, alongside frameworks like NIST, TISAX, DORA and Cyber Essentials. It also includes hands-on security work such as VAPT — vulnerability assessment and penetration testing.
These services matter most to organisations that store or process customer data: SaaS and cloud providers facing enterprise security reviews, fintechs handling payments, healthcare businesses holding patient data, and any company selling into regulated markets. The right combination depends on who your buyers are and which regimes apply to you.
How ABS approaches cyber security
ABS delivers tailored engagements rather than off-the-shelf checklists, with a comprehensive methodology and support that continues beyond the initial assessment. Our penetration-testing practitioners bring more than a decade of cumulative experience. SOC 2 reporting follows the AICPA Trust Services Criteria; where a framework requires a specific qualified assessor, we coordinate with the qualified assessor you appoint — a licensed CPA firm for SOC reports, a QSA for PCI DSS. Every engagement starts with a fixed-price scope and a proposal, on-site or remote.
Common questions
Do we need SOC 2 or ISO 27001?
It usually depends on who is asking. SOC 2 is the report most US customers expect from a service provider; ISO 27001 is the certification recognised internationally, and the one tenders in the UK, EU and Middle East tend to name. Many organisations end up with both, and because the underlying controls overlap heavily, running them together is less work than doing one after the other.
What is the difference between SOC 1, SOC 2, SSAE 18 and ISAE 3402?
SOC 2 covers security and the related trust services criteria. SOC 1 covers the controls at your organisation that affect your customers’ financial reporting. SSAE 18 is the US attestation standard a SOC 1 examination is performed under, and ISAE 3402 is its international equivalent — the basis of the report rather than separate reports to choose between.
Do we need a penetration test as well?
Often, yes. PCI DSS requires penetration testing; ISO 27001 and SOC 2 expect technical testing as evidence that controls work in practice; and enterprise customers frequently ask for a recent test before they sign. VAPT combines a vulnerability assessment with a penetration test and gives you a prioritised report you can act on.
Which of these apply if we handle card payments or health data?
Card payments bring PCI DSS into scope for any organisation that stores, processes or transmits cardholder data. Health data handled on behalf of US covered entities brings HIPAA into scope, usually as a business associate. Both sit alongside a security certification or report such as ISO 27001 or SOC 2 rather than replacing it.