CyberFortify's compliance consulting is engineered around one truth: most compliance evidence packages fail because they are written in a vacuum, separate from the security work the organisation actually does. We integrate penetration testing, control implementation and evidence preparation into a single engagement.
// 01 What compliance consulting actually is
Structured preparation of an organisation's security programme to pass a specific audit or certification. Covers gap analysis, control implementation, evidence preparation and audit-cycle support.
CyberFortify's practice is differentiated by tight integration with offensive testing - the technical claims in the evidence pack are validated by real penetration tests rather than assertion alone.
Most compliance consulting on the market is delivered by GRC-only firms with no offensive security capability. Their evidence packs read well but routinely break under detailed assessor questioning because the underlying technical claims have not been validated. CyberFortify's compliance practice is different: every framework deliverable is paired with the relevant penetration testing - network, cloud or API - so the evidence withstands scrutiny.
// 02 Frameworks we support
Each framework page below contains a deep technical guide to the controls CyberFortify directly supports during compliance engagements.
SOC 2 Type I & II
AICPA Trust Services Criteria, applicable to SaaS and service organisations. Read the SOC 2 guide.
ISO/IEC 27001:2022
ISMS certification with the 2022 revision Annex A. Read the ISO 27001 guide.
PCI DSS v4.0
Cardholder data environment compliance under the new v4.0 timeline. Read the PCI guide.
HIPAA Security Rule
ePHI safeguarding for covered entities and business associates. Read the HIPAA guide.
NIST CSF 2.0 / 800-53
Federal and federal-adjacent contexts (FedRAMP, CMMC). Read the NIST CSF guide.
// 03 Cross-framework control mapping
Most growth-stage organisations carry two or three frameworks in parallel. The control families overlap heavily - one well-prepared engagement produces evidence acceptable across all of them. The mapping below is the cross-walk CyberFortify uses on every multi-framework engagement.
// 04 Engagement models
The three highest-volume engagements in our compliance practice. Most clients combine two of these in a single audit cycle - SOC 2 + ISO 27001 is the most common pairing.
SOC 2 Type II readiness
End-to-end preparation for the Type II observation window. Trust Services Criteria scoping, control design, the CC7.1 penetration test, evidence binder construction and assessor liaison through the audit. 12-16 weeks pre-window.
ISO 27001:2022 ISMS
Full ISMS implementation aligned to the 2022 Annex A. Statement of Applicability, risk treatment plan, mandatory documents, internal audit, management review and Stage 1 / Stage 2 support. 16-20 weeks to Stage 2.
PCI DSS v4.0 SAQ / RoC
CDE scoping, segmentation validation, the 11.4 segmentation pen test, ASV scan coordination and SAQ-D / Report on Compliance preparation. Targeted at Levels 1-3 merchants and service providers. 10-14 weeks.
// 05 What we deliver
Gap analysis report
Risk-weighted control gaps with remediation effort estimates and an audit-readiness timeline.
Policy & procedure pack
Framework-aligned policy set drafted to your environment - not generic templates.
SoA & risk register
Statement of Applicability, risk treatment plan and risk register maintained through the audit cycle.
Penetration test report
The full offensive testing deliverable mapped against every applicable control reference.
Audit evidence binder
Auditor-grade evidence collection organised against the assessor's request list, with cross-framework citations.
Audit-window liaison
Technical advisor to your team during the assessor engagement - evidence requests, walkthroughs and follow-ups.
// 06 How a compliance engagement runs
Discovery & gap analysis
Current-state interview, control mapping, gap report with risk-weighted prioritisation.
Week 1-2Implementation guidance
Control-by-control implementation plan with engineering tickets, policy templates and evidence requirements.
Week 2-6Penetration testing alignment
The relevant offensive testing service is engaged to produce the technical evidence (CC7.1 for SOC 2, A.8.29 for ISO, 11.4 for PCI).
ParallelEvidence package construction
Auditor-grade evidence binder built to the specific assessor's expectations.
Week 6-10Audit-cycle support
CyberFortify operates as your technical advisor during assessor engagement, responding to evidence requests and follow-ups.
Audit windowSurveillance / continuous compliance
Recurring annual support including remediation retesting from the offensive testing engagement.
Annual// 07 Pen-test-backed evidence vs GRC-only consulting
Most compliance shops are GRC-only: policy writers and audit-prep generalists with no offensive security capability. Their evidence reads well but breaks under detailed assessor questioning.
| Capability | CyberFortify | GRC-only firm | Drata / Vanta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gap analysis & SoA | Yes | Yes | Automated |
| Policy & procedure drafting | Yes | Yes | Templates |
| Continuous evidence collection | Via partner platform | Manual | Native |
| Penetration testing for CC7.1 / A.8.29 / 11.4 | In-house | Outsourced | Out of scope |
| Cross-framework control mapping | Per finding | High-level | Catalogue only |
| Assessor liaison & technical defence | Yes | Limited | No |
| Annual surveillance support | Bundled | Re-engagement | Subscription |
// 08 Why CyberFortify for compliance
What we do well
- Compliance evidence backed by real offensive testing, not assertion. CC7.1, A.8.29 and 11.4 are validated with manual testing the first time the assessor asks.
- Multi-framework engagements built on a single control inventory - SOC 2 + ISO + HIPAA in one cycle, not three.
- Audit-window liaison: we respond to assessor follow-ups so your engineering team stays focused on the product.
- Continuous compliance pricing - the recurring annual cycle costs a fraction of redoing audit prep from scratch.
When to use a GRC platform instead
- Drata, Vanta and Sprinto are excellent for continuous evidence collection. We partner with them.
- If you only need automated control monitoring and have no upcoming audit, a platform alone may suffice.
- If your environment is simple, single-framework, and you have an in-house security lead, the platform plus a CPA firm may be enough.
- CyberFortify is the right call when the technical evidence in those platforms needs to survive an assessor's questions.
// 09 Frequently asked questions
What is compliance consulting?
Compliance consulting is the structured preparation of an organisation's security programme to pass a specific audit or certification - covering gap analysis, control implementation, evidence preparation and audit-cycle support. CyberFortify's practice is differentiated by tight integration with offensive testing, so the technical claims in evidence packs are validated by real penetration tests rather than assertion alone.
Do you act as the auditor?
No. CyberFortify is a compliance consultant and penetration testing partner; we do not issue audit reports or certifications. Independent auditors are required by every major framework. We work alongside your chosen auditor (or recommend one from our partner network) to ensure the evidence we prepare meets their expectations.
Can you handle multiple frameworks at once?
Yes. A single engagement frequently produces evidence acceptable to SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS and HIPAA simultaneously because the underlying control families overlap heavily. Reports include cross-framework mappings on every finding, and a unified control inventory drives evidence collection across all in-scope frameworks.
How is this different from Drata, Vanta or Sprinto?
Compliance automation platforms are excellent at evidence collection and continuous control monitoring - we partner with several. They are not penetration testing companies. CyberFortify provides the offensive security expertise that makes the technical evidence in those platforms credible to your assessor.
What is the typical timeline to audit-ready?
For SOC 2 Type II, typical timelines run 12-16 weeks from kickoff to ready-for-observation, plus the observation window itself. ISO 27001 Stage 1 in 12-20 weeks. PCI DSS v4.0 timeline depends on merchant level. CyberFortify provides a calibrated timeline at the end of the gap analysis.
Do you support continuous compliance after the first audit?
Yes. Annual surveillance support includes the recurring penetration test, control-effectiveness re-validation, evidence-pack maintenance and assessor liaison during surveillance audits. Continuous compliance is significantly cheaper than re-doing audit prep each cycle.
Which framework is right for our company?
SOC 2 if you sell SaaS to enterprise customers. ISO 27001 if you sell internationally or to government. PCI DSS if you touch cardholder data. HIPAA if you process ePHI in the US. GDPR if you process personal data of EU residents. Most growth-stage companies eventually carry two or three of these in parallel; the gap analysis identifies the path that creates the most market access for the least incremental work.