Executive Summary

On February 11, 2026, Nuventive, a software provider focused on the higher education market, announced it has achieved System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type II compliance. This milestone, resulting from an independent audit conducted by the cybersecurity firm A-LIGN, certifies that Nuventive's internal controls for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy are effectively designed and were operating effectively over a period of time. For Nuventive's clients, which are colleges and universities, this compliance serves as a critical third-party validation of the company's commitment to protecting sensitive institutional and student data.

Regulatory Details

SOC 2 is not a law or regulation, but a voluntary compliance standard and auditing procedure developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It is one of the most common and respected frameworks for demonstrating the security of a service organization. A SOC 2 report is designed to provide assurance to a company's customers that their data is being handled securely.

There are two types of SOC reports:

• Type I: Reports on the suitability of the design of a company's controls at a specific point in time.
• Type II: Reports on the operational effectiveness of those controls over a specified period (typically 6-12 months). Nuventive's achievement of Type II compliance is more comprehensive and provides a higher level of assurance.

The audit is based on the AICPA's Trust Services Criteria, which include Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy.

Affected Organizations

• Nuventive: The service organization that underwent the audit.
• Higher Education Institutions: Nuventive's clients, who can now use this report to satisfy their own vendor risk management and compliance requirements.
• A-LIGN: The independent CPA firm that conducted the audit.
• Zaviant: A cybersecurity consultancy that assisted Nuventive in the compliance process.

Compliance Requirements

To achieve SOC 2 Type II compliance, Nuventive had to demonstrate to an independent auditor that it had implemented and consistently followed a wide range of security controls. These typically include:

• Access Controls: Policies and systems to ensure only authorized individuals can access sensitive data.
• Change Management: Formal processes for managing changes to the production environment.
• Security Monitoring: Systems for monitoring for and responding to security incidents.
• Risk Management: A formal process for identifying and mitigating security risks.
• Vendor Management: Processes for assessing the security of their own vendors.
• Data Encryption: Policies for encrypting data at rest and in transit.

Impact Assessment

For Nuventive, achieving SOC 2 Type II compliance is a significant competitive advantage. It simplifies the procurement process for their university clients, who are increasingly required by their own internal policies and regulations like FERPA to conduct thorough due diligence on their software vendors. The SOC 2 report provides a standardized and trusted way to perform this assessment.

For Nuventive's clients, the compliance provides peace of mind that a critical part of their software supply chain is managed securely. It allows them to demonstrate to their own auditors and stakeholders that they are responsibly managing institutional data.

Compliance Guidance

Higher education institutions considering or using Nuventive's services should:

1. Request the SOC 2 Report: Contact Nuventive to obtain a copy of the full SOC 2 Type II report, which will likely require signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
2. Review the Report: The report should be reviewed by the institution's information security and compliance teams. Pay close attention to the auditor's opinion, any noted exceptions, and the description of Nuventive's controls.
3. Incorporate into Vendor Management: Use the report as a key artifact in the institution's vendor risk management program. The report should be requested and reviewed on an annual basis to ensure continued compliance.