PW-SOC2-006
SOC 2 auditor engagement letter before the report
What a SOC 2 engagement letter covers, what to negotiate, and why buyers sometimes ask for it early.
PW-SOC2-012 SOC 2 readiness spoke · Answer buyers · side path
CAIQ-Lite / SIG-Lite while SOC 2 is in progress
TL;DR. CAIQ-Lite and SIG-Lite let you answer standardized security questions while the audit is underway. Keep one source of truth, version answers, and align them to your in-progress control set so you do not invent conflicting claims across buyers.
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On this page
Why lightweight questionnaires matter
Deals move on questionnaires long before your report PDF exists. CAIQ-Lite and SIG-Lite (and vendor portals derived from them) are common bridges.
Operating rules
- One master answer set; export per buyer.
- Map answers to controls and evidence IDs.
- Mark in-progress items with dates, not hope.
- Re-review answers when architecture or vendors change.
Questions founders ask
CAIQ-Lite vs full CAIQ?
Lite is shorter for earlier-stage reviews; some buyers still send custom portals.
SIG-Lite enough for banks?
Regulated buyers may require more—ask early.
How often to refresh answers?
When architecture, vendors, or control status changes—and on a quarterly review.
Sources
- primary What is CAIQ? — Cloud Security Alliance — CAIQ explained as CCM-aligned yes/no questionnaire.
- primary STAR Level 1: Security Questionnaire (CAIQ v4.1) — Cloud Security Alliance — Current CAIQ artifact page for STAR Level 1.
- primary CSA STAR — Cloud Security Alliance — Mentions CAIQ Lite / CCM Lite for SMEs; useful for questionnaire-while-in-progress framing.
- primary Shared Assessments (SIG) — Shared Assessments — Org home for Standardized Information Gathering (SIG). Detailed SIG Lite templates are often member-gated—cite org, do not invent free PDF links.
Linear path
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