Is a penetration test required for SOC 2?

Not explicitly. The criteria leave the choice of evaluations to you, but penetration testing is listed among the ways to evaluate controls (under CC4.1), and auditors usually ask for it, especially for Type II reports and for systems that handle customer data.

How often should we test for SOC 2?

At least once a year, and after significant changes to the system in scope. An annual test lines up with the usual audit cycle.

What should the scope be?

The systems in your SOC 2 boundary: usually the customer-facing application, its APIs, and the cloud infrastructure it runs on.

Penetration Testing for SOC 2

Penetration testing for SOC 2

SOC 2 does not name penetration testing as a fixed requirement, but the Trust Services Criteria list it as one way to evaluate whether controls work, and most auditors expect to see one. HYDN has carried out penetration tests for SOC 2 and delivers a report your auditor can use as evidence, with findings, remediation and a confirming retest.

How a pen test supports SOC 2

SOC 2 reports on whether your controls meet the Trust Services Criteria. Penetration testing gives your auditor independent evidence that:

your security controls hold up against a real attempt to get past them;
vulnerabilities are being found, tracked and fixed (monitoring and vulnerability management);
changes to the system have not introduced new weaknesses.

It does not replace other controls, but it is one of the more convincing pieces of evidence you can show.

What HYDN delivers

A test of the systems inside your SOC 2 boundary, usually the application, APIs and cloud environment.
A report with each finding, its severity, proof of concept and remediation guidance.
A free remediation check, so the report can show issues were fixed and verified.
A final report written for your auditor and for customers who ask for evidence of testing.

Timing it with the audit

Run the test early enough in the audit period to fix what it finds and retest before the period closes. An unremediated critical finding in a SOC 2 evidence pack invites questions.