Services
IT Compliance Advisory (SOC 2, HIPAA, NIST)
If you have landed here, compliance has probably already landed on your desk: a customer asking for a SOC 2 report, a contract that requires HIPAA or CMMC, an insurer with a questionnaire. Your real question is different: what the road to compliance looks like, how long it takes, and who you walk it with.
The short answer: it depends on where you start - and when a customer or auditor has already given you a deadline, correct prioritization matters more than perfection. We have taken dozens of companies through this process end to end: gap assessment, control implementation, evidence collection, audit readiness - across SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI DSS, NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and CMMC. We know what auditors ask for in practice, not just what the framework documents say.
The frameworks we cover
SOC 2
The de facto standard for selling software and services to US enterprise customers. Type I proves your controls are designed right; Type II proves they actually operate over time.
SOC 2 readiness & audit preparation →HIPAA
Mandatory whenever you create, store, or even touch protected health information - it applies to covered entities and to every business associate in their supply chain.
HIPAA compliance services →PCI DSS
Required by the card brands wherever cardholder data is processed, stored, or transmitted - your acquiring bank will ask, and so will your customers.
PCI DSS compliance services →NIST Cybersecurity Framework
The most widely used security framework in the US - the common language between your security program, your board, your insurer, and your enterprise customers.
NIST CSF services →ISO 27001
The international certification for information security management - often the bridge that satisfies both US and global customers with one program.
ISO 27001 services →CMMC
Required across the US defense supply chain. If DoD prime or subcontract work is in your pipeline, CMMC is on your critical path - and it rewards starting early.
CMMC readiness for DoD suppliers →How we have helped companies like yours
Manufacturing company, food sector, ~120 employees
A compliance demand under NIS2 (the EU cybersecurity directive) from a major customer, with a firm deadline. In 6 weeks: gap analysis delivered, critical measures prioritized, implementation underway. They answered the customer with a documented plan - ahead of the deadline.
Logistics company, ~85 employees
A question from a European partner about compliance. We clarified that they were in scope through the supply chain and built a realistic 4-month plan on the spot.
B2B distribution, ~140 employees
They had received 3 quotes between EUR 12,000 and EUR 70,000 for "complete compliance". Our independent gap analysis showed them what was realistic and what was overselling.
Our process to audit-ready compliance - 5 steps
Every company is different. But the road to a clean audit report is clear, structured, and completely manageable. We take care of everything - from assessment through implementation and ongoing maintenance.
- 1
2–3 weeks
Compliance audit (gap assessment)
Where you stand against the framework your customers or regulators expect - SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI DSS, NIST CSF, ISO 27001, or CMMC - control by control. Deliverable: the gap report + a plan prioritized by risk - the document you can make decisions with (and show to the customer, auditor, or insurer who asked for compliance in the first place).
- 2
Scope & target
Scoping and roadmap
We define exactly what gets attested or certified: which framework and which flavor (SOC 2 Type I vs Type II, PCI DSS scope, CMMC level), which systems are in scope, and the target audit date. If a customer deadline already caught you unprepared, we handle that situation too - see the FAQ.
- 3
8–10 weeks
Implementing the controls
Technical and organizational, in order of risk, with your IT team (or hands-on with us, if you have no team). Your business does not stop.
- 4
Employees + leadership
Training
Security awareness for employees + the workforce and leadership training that HIPAA explicitly requires and every SOC 2 auditor expects to see documented.
- 5
Ongoing
Audit readiness, continuously
Documentation stays maintained, risks get reassessed, evidence is collected as you go, and incident reporting follows a procedure - not improvisation. When the auditor arrives, you hand over evidence, not excuses.
After the audit: two ways of working together
Compliance is not a project with an end date - a SOC 2 report covers a defined period and customers expect a fresh one every year, HIPAA expects your risk analysis to stay current, PCI DSS revalidates annually. After implementation, you choose how we continue:
Option 1
Ad-hoc support
We come back when you need us: annual audits and reassessments, incidents, new customer security questionnaires, new training.
Option 2 · Recommended for complete peace of mind
Managed Compliance
Continuous maintenance and improvement: periodic reviews of the controls, documentation updates, evidence collection between audits, support with incident reporting.
The HIFENCE approach to compliance
We have guided dozens of companies through compliance projects - with a focus on practical implementation and a positive impact on the business. How we work differently:
Expertise across overlapping frameworks
We know where SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI DSS, NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and CMMC overlap - so you implement controls once and reuse the evidence everywhere.
Practical implementation, not just consulting
We deliver working solutions, not just theoretical recommendations.
Risk- and value-based approach
We prioritize the measures that bring the most benefit to your business.
Clear roadmap with a realistic timeline
You know exactly what comes next, when it happens, and what resources are needed.
Long-term partnership
We support you in maintaining and continuously improving your compliance.
Minimal impact on operations
We implement the solutions without disrupting the day-to-day running of your business.
The benefits for your company
Compliance without the stress
Clear evidence that you meet the requirements, and the peace of mind that a surprise audit, questionnaire, or regulator inquiry will not catch you exposed.
Real security, not just paper
We implement measures that actually prevent incidents and reduce downtime when an attack happens.
Protection for the management team
You demonstrate diligence and responsibility, significantly reducing the risk of personal liability.
A business that does not stop
Your infrastructure and processes keep running even in the face of a cyber incident.
Trust and competitive advantage
You show partners and customers that you are a safe, compliant partner - ready for enterprise-level deals.
Ready for what comes next
Flexible architectures that evolve along with technology, regulations, and new threats.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know which framework applies to my company?
We have ISO 27001. Do we still need SOC 2?
How long does compliance take?
What does it cost?
How do you help us with incident management?
How do we minimize the impact on operations?
A customer gave us a compliance deadline we cannot realistically meet. What now?
We are not regulated directly, but a big customer or our insurer demands compliance. Does it apply to us?
Not 100% sure what applies to you?
Healthcare, SaaS, fintech, logistics, manufacturing, professional services, defense suppliers. Compliance obligations reach far beyond the obviously regulated industries: HIPAA follows patient data to every vendor that touches it, PCI DSS follows card payments, SOC 2 follows enterprise sales, CMMC follows the defense supply chain. And many companies get pulled in not directly by regulation, but through the contractual requirements of large customers or insurers. We clarify what applies to you in the first minutes of the call - and if the honest answer is nothing yet, we tell you straight.
"We kept postponing the compliance topic for almost a year. The HIFENCE team told us from the start what we needed and what we did not, without trying to sell us more than necessary. In about 3 months everything was resolved, including the registration with the national cyber authority. They respond fast, communication is very good. I recommend them."
— Managing Director, manufacturing company, 130 employees
Read the case study →
The next step: find out exactly where you stand
30 minutes on your situation: what you have, what is missing, how long it takes, and what the plan looks like. If what you already have is enough, we tell you straight - the goal is not to find ourselves work, it is to clarify where you stand.