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April 16, 2025 • 3,496 followers
How to Use Your SOC 2 Report Without Violating NDA Rules
Achieving SOC 2 compliance is a major win, not just for your security team, but for your entire business. It signals to customers, investors, and partners that you take data protection seriously.
But once the final report lands in your inbox, a common question comes up: “Can we share this with customers?”
The answer: Yes, but not without guardrails.
Many companies unintentionally misuse their SOC 2 report. Some attach it in cold emails. Others upload it to their website. These well-meaning actions can lead to legal exposure, breached NDAs, or even a loss of trust if handled poorly.
Here’s what you need to know and how to use your SOC 2 report responsibly.
You Can’t Just Share It Freely
SOC 2 reports are confidential audit documents. They contain:
Detailed descriptions of your internal systems
Control designs and effectiveness
Exception findings and remediation notes
Names and contact information for internal stakeholders
Because of this, your report is protected under an NDA with your auditor. Most firms explicitly prohibit you from sharing the full document without proper legal safeguards.
This isn’t just about protecting your company. It’s also about protecting your vendors, customers, and the auditor’s own methodology.
What Happens If You Overshare?
Let’s look at a real-world example.
In 2022, a mid-sized SaaS company posted a downloadable link to their full SOC 2 report on their investor relations page. The intention was clear: demonstrate transparency and security to potential investors. But what they overlooked was that the report included detailed notes about internal access control gaps that had since been resolved.
A competitor downloaded the report, flagged the issue in a public forum, and the company had to respond to unnecessary concerns — even though they had passed the audit.
The lesson? Even passing findings can be weaponized if taken out of context.
What You Can Do Instead
SOC 2 reports are meant to be used — just within boundaries. Here’s how to do it right.
1. Create a SOC 2 Summary Document
This is the most common (and safest) way to share your compliance status.
A good summary includes:
The date range of your audit period
The auditor’s name (e.g., BDO, Prescient Assurance)
The trust service criteria covered (e.g., Security, Availability)
A high-level list of key security practices or tools in place
A note stating that the full report is available upon request and under NDA
Think of it as a "security one-pager" that communicates your compliance status without disclosing sensitive technical or operational details.
2. Require an NDA for Full Report Access
Before sharing your full SOC 2 report with a prospect, vendor, or investor, always have a mutual NDA in place. This protects both parties and ensures that sensitive information isn’t distributed beyond the intended audience.
Most companies use secure portals (like DocSend, Google Drive with permissions, or a virtual data room) to share the file. You should also track who accesses the report and when especially if you’re in a competitive space.
3. Train Your Teams
Misuse often happens outside the security or compliance team — usually in sales or customer success.
Make sure your teams understand:
What the SOC 2 report contains
When it can (and cannot) be shared
Who to go to for approval before sharing anything
A quick internal FAQ or enablement session can prevent costly mistakes.
4. Use the Win in Marketing, The Right Way
You should absolutely promote the fact that you’re SOC 2 compliant. Just do it smartly.
You can say things like:
“We’ve successfully completed our SOC 2 Type II audit.”
“We’re audited annually by a third-party CPA firm.”
“Our report is available to customers under NDA.”
Avoid saying:
“Download our SOC 2 report here.”
“Our SOC 2 audit found zero issues.” (Even if true, it’s risky language.)
SOC 2 Is More Than a Badge, It's an Ongoing Responsibility
Your SOC 2 report isn’t just a certificate to post on LinkedIn. It’s a snapshot in time that reflects your security posture during a specific audit window. How you protect, share, and use that report matters just as much as earning it.
The smartest companies use SOC 2 not just to check a box, but to build trust with boundaries.