Choosing a Voice AI Vendor: Security Questions to Ask

Quick Take

Ask security questions before you test production calls.

• Request current SOC 2 reports and compliance documents.
• Confirm encryption at rest and in transit.
• Ask where audio, transcripts, and logs are stored.
• Check retention, deletion, and audit-log controls.
• Review all subprocessors that touch call data.

Before you sign, pause.

Your vendor will hear real customer calls. Those calls can include payments, health topics, and private business facts.

A breach hurts you—not only the vendor. It can break trust and trigger regulatory review.

Many teams focus on features, price, and integrations first. Security becomes a late checklist. A single “Are you SOC 2 certified?” question is not enough.

This guide lists the security questions that matter, what good answers sound like, and when to walk away.

Why Security Matters More for Voice AI

Voice AI sits in a sensitive spot in your stack.

Callers do not fill out neat forms. They talk. They may share card numbers, health facts, or secrets in one breath.

The Data Exposure Problem

On one call, a customer might say a card number, an SSN, a diagnosis, or a password.

That audio moves through carriers, speech-to-text, models, and logs. Every hop needs a clear security story.

Regulatory Complexity

Voice AI deployments frequently intersect multiple regulatory frameworks simultaneously. Healthcare organizations must address HIPAA. Financial services firms face PCI DSS requirements. Organizations with European customers must comply with GDPR. Your voice AI vendor must demonstrate compliance across all applicable frameworks.

Reputational Stakes

Data breaches involving voice recordings carry particular reputational risk. Unlike text-based breaches, voice recordings capture tone, emotion, and context that make exposed conversations deeply personal. The reputational damage can be disproportionate to the technical scope of the breach.

Essential Security Questions for Voice AI Vendors

Use this question framework when evaluating voice AI platforms. Each question targets a specific security concern.

Compliance Certifications

Question: What compliance certifications do you hold, and can you provide current audit reports?

Look for SOC 2 Type II certification at minimum. Type II indicates that security controls have been tested over six to twelve months, demonstrating consistent operational effectiveness rather than point-in-time compliance. Additional certifications include ISO 27001, HITRUST for healthcare, and FedRAMP for government deployments.

Request copies of current audit reports, not just certification claims. Vendors who hesitate or cannot produce documentation should be viewed skeptically.

Data Encryption

Question: How is data encrypted both at rest and in transit?

Expect specific technical answers. For data at rest, look for AES-256 encryption covering call recordings, transcripts, customer data, API tokens, and backup systems. For data in transit, expect TLS 1.2 or higher for all communications including audio streams, API calls, and webhook deliveries.

Ask about key management practices. Who controls encryption keys? Are keys rotated regularly? Can you bring your own encryption keys?

Data Retention Policies

Question: What are your data retention policies, and can we configure retention periods?

Qualified vendors should offer configurable retention periods per data type, automatic deletion when retention expires, deletion verification and audit trails, and immediate deletion capabilities for data subject requests.

Be cautious of vendors who require long minimum retention periods or cannot delete data on demand. These limitations create compliance obstacles, particularly under GDPR's right to erasure requirements.

Data Processing and Storage Locations

Question: Where is customer data processed and stored geographically?

Key considerations include primary data center locations, backup locations, which third-party processors receive data, and whether data ever leaves your specified jurisdiction. For GDPR-subject organizations, data transfers outside the EU require specific legal mechanisms.

Bring Your Own Infrastructure Options

Question: Can we use our own cloud infrastructure and API keys?

Bring Your Own (BYO) deployment models allow organizations to use their own cloud accounts, provide their own API keys for LLM providers, and keep voice data within their security perimeter. Not all vendors support BYO models, but those who do provide a significant security advantage for organizations with strict data handling requirements.

Audit Logging Capabilities

Question: What audit logging capabilities do you provide?

Your vendor should log all authentication events, user account changes, data access events, API usage, administrative configuration changes, and data exports and deletions. Logs should include timestamps, user identification, and IP addresses. Ask about log retention periods and SIEM export capabilities.

Access Controls and Authentication

Question: What access control mechanisms and authentication options do you support?

Look for granular role-based access control with organization, team, and project-level scoping. For authentication, expect multi-factor authentication (MFA), single sign-on integration, session timeout controls, and failed login lockout protections. MFA should be enforceable organization-wide, not optional.

Incident Response Process

Question: What is your incident response process, and how will we be notified of security events?

Understand notification timelines, communication channels, information provided about incident scope, and availability of post-incident reports. Look for specific SLAs. A vendor who cannot articulate their incident response process has not adequately prepared for security events.

BAA Availability for Healthcare

Question: Do you provide Business Associate Agreements, and at what cost?

If your organization handles protected health information, you need a signed BAA. Key considerations include which service tiers include BAAs, additional costs, specific HIPAA controls implemented, and available documentation.

Some vendors charge $500 to $1,000 per month for BAA execution. Others, including Burki, provide BAAs at no additional cost. Do not assume higher pricing correlates with better compliance.

PCI Compliance for Payment Processing

Question: What is your PCI DSS compliance status?

If your voice AI handles payment card information, understand whether the vendor is PCI DSS certified, implements controls for cardholder data, provides call recording redaction for card numbers, and supports PCI-compliant payment processor integrations.

Red Flags to Watch For

During your vendor security evaluation, certain responses should trigger immediate concern:

Vague answers to specific questions. Security-conscious vendors provide detailed technical responses. "We take security seriously" without specifics suggests inadequate security investment.

Certifications without documentation. Any vendor claiming SOC 2, HIPAA, or ISO certifications should provide audit reports or attestation letters. Claims without evidence should not be trusted.

No dedicated security personnel. Organizations without dedicated security staff may lack expertise to maintain adequate controls.

Reluctance to discuss subprocessors. Vendors who cannot disclose their subprocessors may be hiding concerning dependencies.

One-size-fits-all security. Vendors who cannot customize security configurations, retention policies, or deployment models may not meet your specific requirements.

Missing or outdated security documentation. If security documentation is outdated or nonexistent, actual practices likely reflect the same neglect.

How Burki Answers These Questions

Burki was built with enterprise security as a foundational consideration:

Compliance: SOC 2 Type II certification covering all five Trust Services Criteria. Audit reports available through our Trust Center.

Encryption: AES-256 encryption for all sensitive data at rest. TLS encryption for all data in transit.

Retention: Configurable policies with automatic cleanup, pre-deletion notifications, and immediate deletion capabilities.

BYO Infrastructure: Full support for Bring Your Own deployment. Use your own API keys for LLM, TTS, and STT providers.

Audit Logging: Comprehensive logging of authentication, PHI access, data modifications, and administrative changes with timestamps, IP addresses, and user agents.

Access Controls: Role-based controls at organization, team, and resource levels. MFA using TOTP with backup codes. Rate limiting with exponential backoff.

BAA Availability: Business Associate Agreements at no additional cost. No enterprise tier requirement.

PII Redaction: Automatic detection and redaction of sensitive information including credit card numbers.

Vendor Security Evaluation Checklist

Use this checklist during your vendor evaluation:

Compliance and Certifications

• [ ] SOC 2 Type II certification with current audit report
• [ ] Additional certifications (ISO 27001, HITRUST, FedRAMP)
• [ ] BAA available for HIPAA-covered entities
• [ ] PCI DSS compliance documentation
• [ ] GDPR compliance attestation

Data Protection

• [ ] AES-256 encryption at rest
• [ ] TLS 1.2+ encryption in transit
• [ ] Key management practices documented
• [ ] Configurable retention policies
• [ ] Automatic deletion when retention expires
• [ ] Immediate deletion for compliance requests

Infrastructure and Processing

• [ ] Data processing locations documented
• [ ] Data residency options available
• [ ] Subprocessor list available
• [ ] BYO infrastructure option
• [ ] Disaster recovery procedures documented

Access and Authentication

• [ ] Role-based access controls
• [ ] Multi-factor authentication supported
• [ ] MFA enforceable organization-wide
• [ ] SSO integration available
• [ ] API key management with granular permissions

Monitoring and Response

• [ ] Comprehensive audit logging
• [ ] Log export to SIEM supported
• [ ] Incident response process documented
• [ ] Notification timeline SLAs specified

Documentation and Transparency

• [ ] Security policies available for review
• [ ] Penetration testing conducted regularly
• [ ] Vulnerability disclosure process exists
• [ ] Trust center or security portal available

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important security certification for voice AI vendors?

SOC 2 Type II certification is the most widely recognized security certification for voice AI vendors. It demonstrates that security controls have been tested over an extended period and provides independent verification. Industry-specific certifications like HIPAA or PCI DSS become equally important when those regulations apply.

How often should voice AI vendors undergo security audits?

SOC 2 Type II audits typically cover a twelve-month observation period, with new audits conducted annually. Vendors should also conduct regular penetration testing, typically quarterly or after significant infrastructure changes.

Can we require our vendor to sign a custom security agreement?

Yes, enterprise customers commonly negotiate Data Processing Agreements, security addendums, or custom contractual terms. Security-conscious vendors will engage constructively with reasonable requirements.

What should we do if our voice AI vendor experiences a data breach?

Upon notification, assess the scope of impact on your data, activate your own incident response procedures, notify affected individuals and regulators as required, document all communications, and evaluate whether additional controls are needed.

How do we verify that a vendor's security claims are accurate?

Request audit reports, not just certification logos. SOC 2 Type II reports describe specific controls tested and results. Consider conducting your own vendor security assessment using questionnaires like SIG or CAIQ.

Should we require our vendor to carry cyber insurance?

Yes, requiring adequate cyber insurance is reasonable. It demonstrates commitment to covering breach-related costs and provides financial protection. Request certificates documenting coverage limits and terms.

Secure Your Voice AI Deployment

Selecting a voice AI vendor is a significant technology decision, but it is equally a security decision. The questions in this guide help you evaluate vendors comprehensively, identify security gaps before they become incidents, and select a platform that protects your organization and your customers.

Security should not be an enterprise premium or a compliance afterthought. It should be foundational to how voice AI platforms are designed and operated.

Ready to evaluate Burki's security posture? Request our security documentation package including our SOC 2 Type II report, security architecture overview, and Data Processing Agreement template.

Download Security Checklist PDF | Schedule Security Review | Visit Trust Center

This guide was prepared by the Burki security and compliance team. For specific compliance guidance, consult with qualified legal and security professionals familiar with your organization's requirements.