Skip to content
OtherRisk Manager

SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for Risk Managers

What does SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) require of a Risk Manager?

Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements No. 18 (SSAE 18) provides the framework for SOC (System and Organization Controls) reporting engagements. Under SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting), which defines 178 controls, a Risk Manager's work is deciding which controls you own outright, which you share and which belong to another team, then holding the evidence for the first group.

Which SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) controls land on the Risk Manager

Risk Managers identify, assess, and prioritise organisational risks. They build risk registers, conduct risk assessments, define risk appetite, and ensure that compliance frameworks address the most material threats to the organisation.

SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) defines 178 controls across 3 domains that directly affect the Risk Manager role. Understanding which controls fall within your ownership, which are shared, and which are owned by other teams is the foundation of effective compliance management.

What a Risk Manager is accountable for under SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting)

1

Conducting enterprise risk assessments and maintaining the risk register

2

Defining risk appetite and tolerance levels with executive leadership

3

Mapping compliance controls to identified risks for coverage analysis

4

Monitoring key risk indicators (KRIs) and escalating emerging threats

5

Integrating compliance, operational, and strategic risk management

Where Risk Managers lose time on SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting)

These are the most common obstacles Risk Managers face when managing SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) compliance, and how to address them:

Challenge 1

Quantifying cyber risk in financial terms that resonate with executives

Challenge 2

Identifying gaps between compliance control coverage and actual risk exposure

Challenge 3

Integrating risk data from siloed tools and departments

Challenge 4

Keeping risk assessments current as the threat landscape evolves

Challenge 5

Prioritising remediation when resources are limited

A working order for a Risk Manager starting on SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting)

1. Readiness Assessment

Take a 5-minute readiness assessment to identify your organisation's current gap profile against SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting). Get a prioritised action plan tailored to your specific situation.

2. Cross-Framework Mapping

Use our platform to map SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) controls against other frameworks you already comply with. SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) maps to 154 other frameworks in our database.

3. Build Your Toolkit

Equip yourself with SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) toolkits, self-assessments, and implementation guides from our store. Resources designed specifically for Risk Managers managing compliance programmes.

4. Continuous Monitoring

Establish ongoing compliance monitoring using our platform's gap analysis tools. Track your maturity over time and demonstrate progress to stakeholders.

SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) in your sector

SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for Healthcare→SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for Financial Services→SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for Technology→SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for Government→SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for Manufacturing→SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for Energy→SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for Retail→SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for Education→

Who else owns part of SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting)

SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for CISOsView guide →SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for Compliance OfficersView guide →SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for IT DirectorsView guide →SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for DPOsView guide →SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) for AuditorsView guide →

Questions Risk Managers ask about SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting)

What does a Risk Manager need to know about SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting)?
As a Risk Manager, your key responsibilities under SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) include conducting enterprise risk assessments and maintaining the risk register and defining risk appetite and tolerance levels with executive leadership. The framework contains 178 controls that fall within your area of responsibility. Understanding which controls you own versus which are shared with other teams is critical for effective implementation.
How does SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) affect the Risk Manager role?
SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) directly impacts Risk Managers through conducting enterprise risk assessments and maintaining the risk register, defining risk appetite and tolerance levels with executive leadership, mapping compliance controls to identified risks for coverage analysis. The framework provides structure that helps Risk Managers demonstrate due diligence and report compliance status to stakeholders.
What are the biggest SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) challenges for Risk Managers?
Common challenges include quantifying cyber risk in financial terms that resonate with executives; identifying gaps between compliance control coverage and actual risk exposure; integrating risk data from siloed tools and departments. Using cross-framework mapping tools and automated evidence collection can significantly reduce these pain points.
How should a Risk Manager prepare for a SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) audit?
Start by conducting a readiness assessment to identify gaps. Then focus on mapping compliance controls to identified risks for coverage analysis and monitoring key risk indicators (kris) and escalating emerging threats. Maintain a current evidence repository and ensure all control owners have documented their processes. Our readiness reports provide a prioritised action plan specific to your gap profile.
What tools help Risk Managers manage SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) compliance?
Effective SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting) compliance management requires tools for gap analysis, control mapping, evidence collection, and reporting. Our compliance platform provides AI-powered gap analysis across 1,120 frameworks with 315K+ verified control-to-control mappings, helping Risk Managers identify overlapping requirements and reduce duplicate compliance effort.

Risk Manager: How ready is your organisation for SSAE 18 - Attestation Standards (SOC Reporting)?

Answer 25 questions and get a professional readiness report with gap analysis, maturity scores, and prioritised action items. Results in 5 minutes.

Get Your Readiness ReportBrowse Toolkits & Resources
Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.Last updated .