iON
Speciality: Penetration Testing as a Service
Cybersecurity company based in Calgary, Canada; 47 employees with 17.6% YoY growth; founded 2003; specializes in computer and network security including penetration testing and attack-simulation services (Penetration Testing, PTaaS); competes with txs, tobin, veteran engineering and technology; recently launched AI-powered SMB cybersecurity solution and acquired Wirefire.
SOC 2 Certification Overview
Origin
SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2) was developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) in 2011 as part of their Service Organization Control reporting framework. It was created to address the growing need for standardized security evaluations as businesses increasingly moved to cloud-based services and outsourced IT operations. The AICPA developed SOC 2 to provide a framework that service providers could use to demonstrate their commitment to protecting customer data across five "Trust Service Criteria": security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
Industry Value
SOC 2 certification has become a critical trust signal in the technology and service provider industry, particularly for SaaS companies, cloud hosting providers, and data centers. Organizations value SOC 2 compliance because it provides third-party validation that a vendor has implemented appropriate controls to protect sensitive data, reducing the risk and liability associated with outsourcing. For service providers, achieving SOC 2 compliance is often a competitive necessity, as many enterprise customers and partners require it before entering into business relationships. The certification helps streamline vendor security assessments, as clients can rely on the audited report rather than conducting their own lengthy security reviews.
ISO 27001: Information Security Management Certification
Origin
ISO 27001 was developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and was first published in 2005. It evolved from the British Standard BS 7799-2, which was created in the late 1990s. The standard was developed in response to the growing need for organizations to systematically manage and protect sensitive information in an increasingly digital business environment. ISO 27001 has since been revised, with major updates released in 2013 and 2022 to address evolving cybersecurity threats and best practices.
Industry Value and Importance
ISO 27001 is globally recognized as the leading standard for information security management systems (ISMS) and is valued for providing a systematic, risk-based approach to protecting sensitive data. Organizations that achieve ISO 27001 certification demonstrate to clients, partners, and regulators that they have implemented comprehensive security controls and are committed to maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. The certification is particularly important for organizations handling sensitive data, as it helps meet regulatory compliance requirements, reduces security incidents, builds customer trust, and often provides a competitive advantage in procurement processes where information security assurance is required.
- Major Canadian Airline
- Major Canadian Real Estate Company
- Western Canadian Energy & Utilities Company
- Western Canadian Financial Services Company