SOC 2 for Biometric Solutions:What it Means for Law Enforcement
TECH5 Technology Blog
What SOC 2 Is (in Plain English)
System and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2) is an independent audit against the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Trust Services Criteria that verifies a vendor’s controls for security, availability, confidentiality, processing integrity, and privacy. TECH5’s examination and public SOC 3 report offer agencies evidence that our controls are designed and operate effectively.
It turns “we’re secure” into third-party proof you can trust.
Why it Matters to Agencies Using Law Enforcement Biometrics
When a prospective vendor holds a current, successful SOC 2 audit agencies can expect:
- Quicker Procurement: A current SOC 2 Type II report streamlines security questionnaires and vendor risk reviews.
- CJIS-Aligned Safeguards: While SOC 2 isn’t a CJIS certification, its controls (MFA, encryption, logging, incident response) support CJIS compliance assessments.
- Operational Resilience: Audited controls back the reliability of Livescan, mobile ID, and ABIS/AFIS integration missions.
- Auditability: Standardized logging and change controls support chain-of-custody and evidentiary needs.
Where You Will Feel it in Daily Workflows
Working with a vendor with SOC 2 certification, agencies will likely see benefits in:
- Booking Rooms (Livescan): Encrypted transfer, least-privilege access, and auditable events
- Field Operations (Mobile ID): Secure communication and device governance for real-time checks
- Back-End Matching (ABIS/AFIS): Monitored pipelines and standards-based interfaces reduce integration risk
- Analytics: Controlled environments for National Crime Information Center (NCIC)/Scars, Marks, and Tattoos (SMT) workflows and reporting
See our controls in action. Download the TECH5 SOC 3 report or talk to our team about the full SOC 2 Type II
What Auditors Look for
When conducting a SOC 2 audit, auditors will examine:
- Identity and Access Management: Multi-factor authentication (MFA), role-based access, and regular reviews
- Encryption and Key Management: Data protected in transit and at rest
- Secure Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC): Peer review, hardened builds, secrets management, and tracked deploys
- Monitoring and Incident Response: Centralized logging, alerting, runbooks, and post-incident reviews
- Vendor Oversight: Risk evaluation and controls for third parties
FAQs
Is SOC 2 the same as CJIS or FedRAMP?
No. SOC 2 is an audit of controls; it complements CJIS compliance and other frameworks by providing independently validated evidence.
Can I get the full report?
Yes. The full SOC 2 Type II report of TECH5 is shared under NDA; the SOC 3 report is public.
Is this available in the cloud, on-prem, or hybrid?
Our controls cover all three; your deployment details define scope and mappings.
The Bottom Line
TECH5’s SOC 2 certification and public SOC 3 report convert security promises into audited proof—accelerating trust for agencies that rely on law enforcement biometrics, Livescan, mobile identification, and ABIS/AFIS integration.
