SOC 2 attestation in Nepal

SOC 2 attestation in Nepal at a glance

Nepali software firms selling to clients in North America meet a recurring request in vendor reviews: send us your SOC 2 report. A SOC 2 report is an attestation issued by a licensed CPA firm against the Trust Services Criteria for security and, where chosen, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy; it is not a certificate. Domestic pressure is building too, as Nepal Rastra Bank's Cyber Resilience Guidelines 2023 let licensed payment institutions ask their suppliers for an external audit of security capability, and the Individual Privacy Regulations, 2077 require electronic information to be kept secure. Sterling never attests. Sterling's Mumbai office defines the system description, designs and evidences controls and prepares teams for the CPA firm's examination, with Effivity tracking evidence and Sterling Academy included with the engagement.

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

In Nepal 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.

• Software and SaaS firms serving clients abroadOverseas customers, especially in North America, commonly ask for a SOC 2 report during vendor reviews.
• IT and outsourcing providers to Nepali banks and payment firmsNRB's guidelines suggest institutions request an assessment of suppliers' security capability, such as an external audit.
• Data centre and cloud service operatorsClients want independent assurance over security and availability controls.

SOC 2 requirements in Nepal

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

In Nepal 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 Nepal

One team from the Mumbai office carries the work from scoping to report. Clients across Nepal are served from Sterling's Mumbai 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 Nepali 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 Nepal?

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

• Trust Services Criteria and systems in scope
• Type 1 or Type 2 report and observation period
• Maturity of control evidence
• CPA firm scheduling

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 Nepal?

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 Nepal these factors move both.

• Number of systems and services in scope
• Control remediation and tooling
• CPA firm fees quoted separately from consulting
• Evidence collection effort

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 Nepal

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 Nepal 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 Nepal: questions clients ask

More on SOC 2 for Nepali 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 Nepal and every other standard Sterling delivers there

Other standards Nepali businesses ask Sterling for

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

All 21 standards Sterling delivers in Nepal →