Scisco Genetics Achieves Robust Data Security with SOC 2 Compliance
About Scisco Genetics Inc.
Seattle-based Scisco Genetics Inc. is a leader in genetic analysis, offering fast and accurate high resolution genotyping of complex immune regions. This work is critical for improving transplant outcomes and understanding disease associations. Their core product, Sciscloud, is a powerful software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that allows customers to upload, organize, and analyze their DNA sequencing data.
The Challenge: Securing Highly Senstive Data Amidst Growth
Given the nature of their work, Scisco Genetics handles incredibly senstive customer data, specifically DNA secquencing information. Protecting this data is of vital importance, not just for their customers’ privacy, but for maintaining trust and upholding their reputation.
However, embarking on a cybersecurity compliance journey presented a unique challenge. “The biggest challenge for us was understanding what was required of us and how to implement it to become compliant”, they noted. “The reason for this is that we are a company of scientists and software engineers and did not have any experience in adopting a cybersecurity compliance framework.”
The Solution: Partnering with Johanson Group for SOC 2 Readiness
To address their security concerns and formally validate their data protection efforts, Scisco Genetics chose to pursue a SOC 2 report. This rigorous audit provides assurance that a service organization manages its data according to the AICPA’s Trust Service Criteria. Recognizing their internal expertise gap in cybersecurity compliance, they sought the guidance of Johanson Group.
Johanson Group provided crucial support throughout the preparation phase. “Mark Andia, our Customer Success Manager, met with us to answer our questions monthly for a year leading up to our audit,” Scisco shared, highlighting the consistent and personalized assistance they recieved. This dedicated support was instrumental in demystifying the requirements and guidind their team through the process of building a compliance system from the ground up.
The Audit Impact: Enhanced Security, Streamlined Operations, and Increased Confidence
The SOC 2 audit itself was a positive experience for Scisco Genetics. “The audit process took a while for us because we were setting up a compliance system from scratch. But the actual audit portion was a breeze,” they confirmed. They praised the auditors for being “very helpful and communicative,” readily answering questions and providing timely updates.
Achieving SOC 2 compliance has profoundly impacted their business on multiple fronts:
Boosted Confidence and Customer Trust: “We are more confident than ever in the protections we put in place to secure our customer and company data,” they stated. This internal assurance translates directly to customer peace of mind. “Our customers are also happy to know that their data is more secure.”
Simplified Sales and Customer Inquiries: The SOC 2 report has become a powerful tool in their sales process. "It has also made answering questions about data protection and privacy with potential customers easier since we can show them our report and point to specific examples of the steps we take to keep their data safe."
Improved Operational Efficiency: Beyond security, the compliance journey has brought tangible operational benefits. "Going through and following [a] compliance framework has brought a lot of order and stability to some of our business practices such as onboarding, access, configuring cloud environments, etc. Going through a SOC 2 audit forced us to sit down [and] create formal processes for a lot of these."
Secure Your Data and Build Trust with Johanson Group
This success story of Scisco Genetics Inc. illustrates the importance of robust cybersecurity, particularly in organizations that handle sensative customer data. If your company is navigating the complexities of dat protection and compliance, a SOC 2 report can provide the assurance and operational clarity you need.
To learn more about SOC 2 compliance and discover how Johanson Group can help you prepare for and successfully navigate any cybersecurity needs, connect with us today!
