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SIG Lite · SIG Core · CAIQ v4 — 80+ responses covering every question your auditors ask. SOC 2 + ISO 27001 dual mapping included.
⚙️ Free Library  ·  80+ Responses  ·  12 Domains  ·  PDF + DOCX

Vendor Questionnaire
Response Library

80+ pre-written, audit-ready responses for SIG Lite/Core, CAIQ v4, and custom questionnaires — cross-mapped to SOC 2 TSC and ISO 27001. Stop writing the same generic answers over and over.

📋 SIG Lite/Core → CAIQ Crosswalk ⚖️ SOC 2 + ISO 27001 Dual Map ⚠️ Red-Flag Guide 📄 PDF + DOCX
Download Free Library →
What's inside
Vendor Questionnaire Response Library — All Sections
📃Sections 1–2 How-to-Use + SIG→CAIQ Crosswalk
🔐Sections 1–3 Security Governance + Access Controls
🔒Sections 4–5 Encryption + Incident Response
🤝Sections 6–7 Sub-Processors + BC/DR
🛡️Sections 8–10 Vulnerabilities + SDLC + AI/LLM
⚖️Sections 11–13 Regulatory Mapping + Audit Evidence
⚠️Last section Red-Flag Guide (8 dangerous answers)
80+
Pre-Written Responses
audit-ready, specific language
90%
of SIG Core questions covered
across 12 security domains
<30 min
SIG Lite completion with library
vs. 2–4 hours from scratch
2-in-1
SOC 2 TSC + ISO 27001 mapping
satisfies both frameworks
What You Get

Everything You Need to Complete Vendor Questionnaires in Under 30 Minutes

Stop spending hours crafting the same responses for every questionnaire. This library gives you pre-written, audit-ready answers with the specificity that auditors and prospect security teams actually look for.

📋

80+ Pre-Written Responses

Specific, defensible language covering SIG Lite, SIG Core, CAIQ v4, and custom questionnaires. Replace [BRACKET] placeholders with your company details — done.

🔍

SIG → CAIQ Crosswalk

Find your questionnaire type on the crosswalk. Map SIG Lite/Core answers to their CAIQ v4 equivalents. Use one response set across both frameworks.

⚖️

SOC 2 + ISO 27001 Dual Mapping

Each response maps to both the relevant SOC 2 Trust Service Criteria and matching ISO 27001 Annex A control. Cut audit prep time in half for dual-framework organizations.

⚠️

Red-Flag Guide

8 dangerous answers that consistently trigger auditor follow-up. Each flagged answer shows exactly why it fails scrutiny and what specific language to use instead.

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12 Domain Coverage

Security governance, access controls, encryption, incident response, sub-processors, BC/DR, vulnerability management, secure SDLC, physical security, AI/LLM data handling, and regulatory mapping.

12 Security Domains

Which Questions Does This Library Answer?

Every response is written for a real questionnaire question — not theoretical. Each answer is specific enough to satisfy a SOC 2 auditor, detailed enough to impress a prospect CISO, and editable enough to work for your specific context.

Section 1
Security Governance
Certifications (SOC 2/ISO 27001), pen testing cadence, security training, ISMS documentation.
Section 2
Access Controls & MFA
RBAC, phishing-resistant MFA (FIDO2/WebAuthn), access review cadence, termination SLA.
Section 3
Encryption & Data
AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.2+ in transit, key rotation, data residency, secure destruction.
Section 4
Incident Response
IRP alignment to NIST SP 800-61, breach notification SLA, incident history disclosure.
Section 5
Sub-Processor Risk
Sub-processor list management, audit rights, GDPR Art. 28 flow-down, change notification.
Section 6
BC/DR
RTO/RPO commitments, DR test frequency, geographic redundancy, BCP documentation.
Section 7
Vulnerability Mgmt
Scan cadence, patch SLAs (critical/high/medium/low), CVE response, responsible disclosure.
Section 8
Secure SDLC
SAST/DAST/SCA integration, secure code review, open-source dependency management, SBOM.
Section 9
Physical Security
Data center physical controls, badge/biometric access, CCTV, environmental controls, access logs.
Section 10 — 2026
AI / LLM Data Handling
AI use in service delivery, training opt-out, AI governance policy, prompt injection controls, AIGP-001.
Section 11
Regulatory Compliance
HIPAA BAA, GLBA Safeguards Rule, CMMC 2.0 Level 2, NYDFS Part 500 mapping.
Section 12
Evidence & Audit Support
SOC 2 Type II report, ISO 27001 cert, NDA support, annual reassessment process.
Framework Coverage

One Library. Three Frameworks.

SIG Lite, SIG Core, and CAIQ v4 are different questionnaires — but they ask about the same controls. This library maps each response across all three, so you're not writing the same answer three times.

SIG Lite

~60 Questions · Tier 2/3 Vendors

Use Sections 1–8 for SIG Lite responses. Crosswalk to CAIQ for vendors requiring both. Fast-track: responses with "SOC 2 Type II" and specific control references satisfy SIG Lite quickly.

SIG Core

~200 Questions · Tier 1 Vendors

Use all 12 sections for SIG Core. Each response includes the full specificity that SOC 2 auditors expect: specific control numbers, evidence available on request, and frequency/cadence details.

CAIQ v4

~300 Questions · Enterprise Scope

CAIQ v4 maps directly to SIG Core via the crosswalk (Page 3 of the library). For ISO 27001 holders, the dual mapping table shows which responses also satisfy Annex A controls.

SOC 2 TSC

Dual Mapping per Response

Each response references the relevant SOC 2 TSC (CC1–CC9) and the corresponding ISO 27001 Annex A control. Dual-mapped responses satisfy both audits with one submission.

ISO 27001

Annex A Cross-Mapping

Organizations under both SOC 2 and ISO 27001 can use the dual mapping table to reduce duplication. Each response shows which Annex A controls are addressed — audit prep becomes a checklist, not a rewrite.

Custom

AI / M&A Due Diligence

Section 13 includes a template for custom questionnaires — particularly useful for AI vendor assessments and M&A due diligence where standard frameworks don't fully apply. Editable DOCX makes customization easy.

Download the Vendor Questionnaire Response Library

Enter your email to receive the PDF + editable DOCX library — 80+ responses, SIG→CAIQ crosswalk, SOC 2 + ISO 27001 dual mapping, and the Red-Flag Guide. Free.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between SIG Lite, SIG Core, and CAIQ v4?
SIG Lite (~60 questions) is for Tier 2/3 vendors with limited data access. SIG Core (~200 questions) is for Tier 1 vendors requiring annual reassessment and more rigorous evidence. CAIQ v4 (~300 questions) is the standard for SOC 2 audit scope and ISO 27001 certification holders. This library covers all three with cross-referenced responses — use one response set across all frameworks.
Can I use the same response for both SOC 2 and ISO 27001?
Yes — this library includes a SOC 2 TSC + ISO 27001 dual mapping table (Section 14). Each response maps to both the relevant SOC 2 Trust Service Criteria and the matching ISO 27001 Annex A control. For organizations under both frameworks, this cuts audit preparation time in half — one response set, two frameworks, zero duplication.
What makes an answer "audit-ready" versus generic?
An audit-ready answer specifies: the exact standard or control cited, the frequency or cadence of the process, the responsible party or role, and the evidence available on request. A generic answer says "we comply" or "we follow best practices." The Red-Flag Guide in this library shows exactly what dangerous generic language looks like and what specific language to replace it with.
How do I customize the responses for my company?
All responses contain [BRACKET] placeholders for company-specific information: [COMPANY NAME], [DATE], [AUDITOR], [REGION], [CONTACT]. Replace each bracket with your specific detail. The DOCX version makes this easy — use Find and Replace to update all brackets in under five minutes.
Does this library include AI/LLM vendor questions?
Yes. Section 10 covers AI/LLM data handling questions — a growing blind spot in vendor risk programs. Topics include: whether AI is used in service delivery, whether AI services can train on customer data, AI governance policy, and prompt injection controls. This section was added in 2026 as AI vendor risk becomes a primary audit focus for organizations using ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, or similar tools.
Who is this library designed for?
This library is designed for CISO, compliance officers, IT directors, procurement leads, and security teams at organizations sending vendor security questionnaires. It's particularly useful for companies under SOC 2, ISO 27001, or that serve enterprise clients with strict vendor security requirements — including SaaS companies, law firms, accounting practices, healthcare organizations, and financial services firms.
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