SOC 2 attestation in Brazil

SOC 2 attestation in Brazil at a glance

Banks, investors and overseas clients buying from Brazilian software, fintech and outsourcing firms keep asking for one independent report instead of another security questionnaire. SOC 2 is that report, issued by a licensed CPA firm after examining controls against the AICPA trust services criteria. Brazil has no authority or accreditation scheme behind it, so the choice of firm is yours. Banco Central resolutions oblige institutions to carry out due diligence on providers of processing and cloud services without naming SOC 2, and the LGPD expects controllers to check that operators follow their instructions. Sterling does not issue the report, and readiness work stays separate from the examination. Scoping, control design, evidence and examination rehearsal are supported from Sterling's New York office, with Effivity and Sterling Academy included with the engagement.

Who needs SOC 2 in Brazil, and what happens without it

In Brazil the question rarely comes from a law. It comes from the buyer, the regulator or the partner that wants proof before it signs. These are the organisations that get asked.

• SaaS, cloud and managed service providers selling to Brazilian banksFinancial institutions must assess providers of processing and cloud services, and an independent report shortens that work.
• BPO and shared-service firms with overseas clientsClients replace long security questionnaires with an independent report covering the outsourced process.
• Fintech and payment software companiesEnterprise buyers, banks and investors ask for SOC 2 as standard due diligence.
• Operators under the LGPD handling data for controllersControllers must verify that processors follow instructions, and a report supports that evidence.
• Data centre and hosting operatorsCustomers need assurance on availability, security and confidentiality of hosted systems.

SOC 2 requirements in Brazil

Strip away the vocabulary and SOC 2 asks a service organisation to report on six things about the controls behind its service.

In Brazil these six sit alongside the local laws and regulations listed under drivers below; one system can evidence both. The detail is on the global hub: SOC 2 explained →

How to get a SOC 2 report in Brazil

One team from the New York office carries the work from scoping to report. Clients across Brazil are served from Sterling's New York office, on-site where the work needs it and remotely otherwise.

1. Discovery call and scopeEntities, locations, regulators and target date, agreed before any proposal.
2. Gap assessment against SOC 2 and the Brazilian requirements that apply to youControls you already run for your regulators and customers are reused, not rebuilt.
3. Your system built with your team in EffivityRisks, controls, evidence, incidents and reviews in one live system the auditor can see.
4. Internal audit, management review and corrective actionsYour internal auditors trained by Sterling; the evidence proven before any external review.
5. The independent examination and reportA licensed CPA firm performs the examination and issues the report. Sterling supports the examination.

The Sterling Promise: 100% on-time completion, 100% success, 8,100+ client engagements.Sterling does not certify. Certification decisions stay with independent bodies.

• SOC 2 gap analysis
• SOC 2 implementation plan

How long does SOC 2 attestation take in Brazil?

There is no standard duration: it depends on your scope and on how much of the system already runs. In Brazil these are the factors that set the timeline.

• Scope of services, systems and trust services categories
• Maturity of access, change, logging and vendor controls
• Length and design of the observation period
• Availability and scheduling of the CPA firm

Sterling agrees a dated plan with you on the discovery call, once the scope is known.

• What drives the SOC 2 timeline
• Scope and timeline estimator

How much does SOC 2 attestation cost in Brazil?

The cost has two parts: the consulting work to build and prove the system, and the CPA firm’s fees, which are quoted separately. In Brazil these factors move both.

• Trust services categories and systems in scope
• Control gaps that need tools or process change
• CPA firm examination fees, quoted separately from readiness consulting
• Evidence automation and monitoring tools

Sterling gives one customised, all-inclusive proposal after the discovery call, never before the scope is agreed.

• What makes up the cost of SOC 2

SOC 2 consultants and auditors in Brazil

Two different organisations are involved. A consultant helps you build the system and prove it works; a licensed CPA firm then audits or assesses it and decides. Keeping the two separate is what makes the result credible to buyers and regulators.

• Check that the body’s accreditation or approval covers SOC 2 and your sector, and that its certificates can be verified online.
• Ask the consultant how the local requirements in Brazil are mapped into the same system, so nothing runs twice.
• Ask for client references in your sector; Sterling’s client letters are available on request.
• Agree who owns the evidence and the tool after the engagement; with Sterling the system stays yours, in Effivity.

SOC 2 in Brazil: questions clients ask

More on SOC 2 for Brazilian organisations

• SOC 2: the complete guide
• Watch: How to implement SOC 2
• Accounting and professional services: SOC 2 for the sector
• BPO and shared services: SOC 2 for the sector
• Fintech and payments: SOC 2 for the sector
• Healthcare IT and health BPO: SOC 2 for the sector
• HR, payroll and staffing: SOC 2 for the sector
• MSPs and data centres: SOC 2 for the sector
• SaaS and technology: SOC 2 for the sector
• SOC 2 attestation in Brazil and every other standard Sterling delivers there

Other standards Brazilian businesses ask Sterling for

Organisations in Brazil often combine SOC 2 with one of these, under one management system where the scopes allow.

All 21 standards Sterling delivers in Brazil →