Bubble For Enterprise: SOC 2 Type II and GDPR - What it means for you?

Bubble has announced a new compliance support and launched Bubble for Enterprise solutions for all customers with compliance for SOC 2 Type II and better GDPR. we are excited to see some of these implemented and are waiting for what else Bubble can bring.

Let’s dive deep into what it means for you.

Bubble for Enterprise 

Back in 2021, when we started Momentum Group, most of our clients were entrepreneurs or business owners building an application to grow and scale. Now, with the advent of popularity Bubble has brought many big enterprise companies interested in building quickly with Bubble.

Bubble stated in their blog post that 41% of employees outside IT are dealing with and learning technology in their day-to-day operations and it’s likely to grow a lot shortly. These new roles are not the ones with any format technical training and Bubble is the perfect partner to enable them to work faster and more efficiently. So they can focus on business requirements.

Bubble for Enterprise enables large and growing teams to take control of development, expedite time to value, save on costs, empower non-technical team members, and more. That’s true whether you’re looking to automate workflows, digitize processes, consolidate your team's tech stack, improve operational efficiency, or even launch a new product.

SOC 2 Type II Compliance 

SOC 2, which stands for Service Organization Control 2, is a framework developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to assess and report on the controls relevant to the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of customer data by service organizations. SOC 2 compliance involves a rigorous evaluation of an enterprise's systems, processes, and policies to ensure they meet predefined security and privacy standards.

SOC 2 compliance has two main types: Type I and Type II. Here, we'll focus on SOC 2 Type II compliance, as it represents a more comprehensive evaluation.

Key Characteristics of SOC 2 Type II Compliance: 

1. Scope: SOC 2 Type II compliance assesses the effectiveness of an organization's controls over a specified period (usually six to 12 months). It provides an in-depth look into how well an organization's controls have been implemented and operated.

2. Controls: SOC 2 Type II compliance focuses on five trust service categories: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. Companies must demonstrate their commitment to maintaining strong controls in these areas.

3. Independent Audit: A key feature of SOC 2 Type II compliance is the involvement of an independent auditor. This auditor examines the controls and processes, tests their effectiveness, and provides a detailed report on their findings.

4. Long-Term Assessment: Unlike SOC 2 Type I, which provides a snapshot of controls at a specific point in time, Type II compliance offers a more comprehensive assessment. It evaluates whether an organization's controls are consistently effective over an extended period.

Types of SOC Compiance:

SOC (Service Organization Control) compliance standards are a set of frameworks and guidelines developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to assess and report on the controls relevant to the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of customer data by service organizations.

There are different SOC compliance standards designed to address specific needs and requirements. Here are the main types:

1. SOC 1 (Service Organization Control 1):

   • Purpose: SOC 1 compliance focuses on internal controls over financial reporting. It is relevant for organizations that provide services that could impact the financial statements of their customers, such as payroll processing, financial accounting, or data center hosting.

   • Report Types: SOC 1 reports come in two types: Type I (point-in-time) and Type II (historical, over some time).

2. SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2):

   • Purpose: SOC 2 compliance focuses on the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of customer data. It is often used by technology and cloud service providers.

   • Report Types: SOC 2 reports also come in two types: Type I (point-in-time) and Type II (historical, over some time).

3. SOC 3 (Service Organization Control 3):

   • Purpose: SOC 3 is similar to SOC 2 in terms of the focus on security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy, but it provides a more general, high-level report that can be shared with the public. SOC 3 is often used for marketing and public relations purposes.

   • Report Types: SOC 3 reports are not divided into Type I or Type II; they provide a summary of an organization's compliance.

4. SOC for Cybersecurity:

   • Purpose: SOC for Cybersecurity is designed to help organizations assess and report on their cybersecurity risk management program. It focuses on the controls and processes in place to protect against cybersecurity threats.

   • Report Types: SOC for Cybersecurity reports are typically designed to be flexible and tailored to an organization's specific needs.

5. SOC for Supply Chain:

   • Purpose: SOC for Supply Chain is a framework for evaluating and reporting on the security and operational risks in a supply chain. It helps organizations assess the cybersecurity controls of their suppliers and partners.

   • Report Types: Like SOC for Cybersecurity, SOC for Supply Chain reports can be tailored to fit the specific requirements of an organization.

6. SOC for Sustainability (SOC 4, SOC 5, SOC 6):

   • Purpose: These emerging SOC standards focus on assessing and reporting on an organization's sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts. They are used to provide transparency and accountability regarding sustainability practices.

It's important to note that while SOC compliance standards provide a structured framework for assessments, they do not dictate specific controls or requirements.

Organizations can tailor their controls and processes to meet the unique needs of their business and industry while adhering to the general principles outlined in the relevant SOC standard.

The choice of which SOC compliance standard to pursue depends on an organization's specific goals, services offered, and the needs of its customers and stakeholders.

GDPR Compliance 

GDPR is a comprehensive regulation that governs the processing and protection of personal data of individuals within the European Economic Area (EEA). Its primary objective is to give individuals greater control over their data and establish a consistent framework for data protection across the EU member states.

The Key Principles of GDPR Compliance 

1. Lawful and Transparent Processing: Companies must have a lawful basis for processing personal data and communicate how they intend to use it to individuals.

2. Purpose Limitation: Personal data should only be collected for specific, legitimate purposes and not used in ways that are incompatible with those purposes.

3. Data Minimization: Organizations should only collect and retain the personal data necessary for their intended purposes, limiting excess data storage.

4. Accuracy: Data should be accurate and kept up-to-date. Inaccurate data should be corrected or erased promptly.

5. Storage Limitation: Personal data should not be kept for longer than necessary. Companies must establish retention policies and delete data that is no longer needed.

6. Integrity and Confidentiality: Measures should be in place to protect personal data from breaches, ensuring its confidentiality and integrity.

7. Data Subject Rights: Individuals have the right to access their data, request corrections, and even request the deletion of their data (the "right to be forgotten").

Bubble has doubled down on its commitment to be GDPR compliant, implementing measures designed to meet the standards of applicable data privacy laws, including those in the EU and UK.

Anyone building on Bubble can now take advantage of the GDPR obligations.

Future of Building with Bubble 

Bubble has shown tremendous commitment over the past 6 months with the launch of a new pricing structure that upset most of the community, but also added and upgraded many existing infrastructure and features. Many of them have made building with bubble a lot easier (and has added a lot more bug too)

SOC and GDPR compliance was on the to-do list for quite some time. The road is too long and this is a good start. We wait to see how the enterprise industry as a whole responds to the potential of using Bubble. We’ll keep you updated.

Until next time.