What is IT Security Audit?
Information systems audit refers to assessing an information system to set forth a qualified opinion regarding the conformity between the system and the regulating standards, as well as over the information system’s capacity of achieving the organization’s strategic objectives, by efficiently using the informational resources and by ensuring the integrity of the processed and stored data.
IT security auditing has become popular in our business community because of value-addition to an organization. At Techinnovar we have an audit department which is deployed with a clear perspective on its role in an organization.
Primary security and control issues for cybersecurity audits are:
- Protection of sensitive data and intellectual property
- Responsibility and accountability for the device and information contained in it
- Protection of networks to which multiple information resources are connected
The scope of a cybersecurity audit includes:
- Data security policies relating to the network, database, and applications in place
- Software applications, web services
- Data loss prevention measures
- Effective network access controls implemented
- Detection/prevention systems
- Security controls established (physical and logical)
- Incident response program implemented
- Operating systems
- Telecom infrastructure
The standard auditing starts with identifying risks. After this, assessing the design of controls takes place. Finally, we test the effectiveness of the controls. We at Techinnovar make it our business to add value to your organization, and the quality and depth of a technical audit is a prerequisite to adding value in the following ways:
Improve IT Governance
IT Governance is the responsibility of executives and board of directors of any company. It consists of the leadership, organizational structures, and processes that ensure that the organization’s IT sustains and extends the strategies and objectives of that organization. The in-depth network penetration testing also improves the IT governance of any company.
Reduce risk
The planning and execution of an IT audit consist of the assessment and identification of IT risk in any organization. Usually, IT audits cover risks related to integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information technology infrastructure and processes. Some additional risks include efficiency, effectiveness, and reliability of IT.
If risks are assessed, there can be a clear vision on what path to take to transfer the risk through insurance, to reduce the risks through controls, or to simply accept the risk as part of the operating environment.
Facilitate communication between business and technology management
IT auditing can have the positive effect of opening channels of communication between technology management and an organization’s business. We observe and test what is happening and in practice. From an audit, the final deliverable is valuable information in written reports and oral presentations. The senior management of any organization can get direct feedback on how their organization is functioning.
Strengthen controls (and improve security)
After assessing the risks, controls can then be assessed and identified. Ineffective or poorly designed controls can be redesigned and/or strengthened. The auditors can use various frameworks to get assurance on:
The effectiveness and efficiency of operations
• The reliability of financial reporting
• The compliance with applicable laws and regulations
Comply with regulations
Various regulations at the central and state levels include specific requirements for the information security. The IT auditor plays an important role in ensuring that all the specific requirements are met, risks are assessed, and controls are implemented.
Conclusion
We can assert that only by permanently investing into a complex security model we will be able to have safer IT systems. Therefore, the security solutions and the security policy should be considered globally, and not just punctually. There must not be neglected the fact that security level of the entire system is represented by its weakest link, and that is why the security policy should be updated periodically.
