The Importance of Regular IT Audits: Assessing Your Systems’ Health

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Many businesses in every industry have invested in a comprehensive IT setup to get a competitive edge and develop swiftly. However, this added level of reliance on IT comes with an array of threats and challenges. Not having the ability to detect these risks promptly can lead to huge disruptions to a business and losses.

This is why IT auditing is deemed a vital part of risk management in the continuously changing IT landscape, with newer threats emerging daily.  

First, it’s important to learn what exactly is IT auditing and when your company should get one. Additionally, find out how your company can benefit from an IT audit.

What is an IT Audit?

IT audit is a procedure wherein you assess and test the organization’s IT policies, operations, and infrastructure. It includes:

  • Software applications
  • Security systems
  • Operating systems
  • And more

An IT audit is vital to guarantee that your system is not susceptible to any attacks. The main goal of an IT audit is to gauge the readiness of computer systems and the confidentiality and security of the information in the system. An IT audit also checks to see if the system is dependable and accurate.

Why You Need an IT Audit

An IT audit is valuable in numerous ways. Essentially, it balances and checks the history and future of IT in businesses across various industries.

The audit procedure entails an IT auditor:

  • Making plans
  • Staging processes
  • Advise on required strategies, tools, and technology
  • Assessing the scope and growth of the organization’s goals
  • Offer security to avert data breaches

Even if companies invest in IT solutions, it’s not enough to stop possible new dangers. These threats can be successfully handled with an IT audit.

Evaluating the dependability of storage systems and data processing guarantees the integrity of a company’s IT.

IT audits can validate that processes are functioning as expected by assessing a company’s business continuity and disaster recovery plans. If any section isn’t up to par, they can offer input into what can be done to correct it.

Your IT systems are continuously vulnerable to numerous risks and as you constantly depend on your company’s IT system, it’s only crucial to safeguard it from possible threats. Since an IT audit’s chief objective is to detect errors and inadequacies in the management and use of the IT system, it is essential for any business.

An IT audit isn’t a straightforward process, but it is vital to know the condition of your organization’s IT infrastructure. An audit is an extremely helpful tool to retain the efficiency of your company’s business operation and guard your assets.

IT auditing isn’t a one-time project. If you believe the proper time for an IT audit is when you face numerous security risks, you’re wrong. Actually, IT auditing is a standard process that aids in recognizing legal threats, inadequacies, and new security loopholes when they surface and alleviate them immediately.

What is an IT Auditor?

An IT audit is done by a team referred to as IT auditors who have the necessary certifications to perform the processes of their usual objectives. This procedure is typically done by either an internal auditor or a provider of outsourced IT support for Denver organizations. External IT auditors are independent experts who can be hired by any type of organization.

Furthermore, IT auditors are vital in leading companies in managing their technological resources efficiently. They identify weaknesses and discrepancies, providing strategic advice to improve compliance and security. Their job isn’t restricted to discovering errors. They can offer important insights to help companies improve.

Why You Need an IT Audit

Routine IT audits are an excellent way to assess your security policies and decide what technologies are required to safeguard sensitive data from possible dangers.

A centralized IT audit provides you with a complete understanding of how your IT infrastructure operates, how your security solutions shield this infrastructure, and whether security breaches are present in your protocols, systems, and policies.

An IT audit offers a clear view of the whole infrastructure of your organization. This is beneficial for your IT team when creating the latest security strategies.

Risk Management

An IT audit decisively pinpoints possible threats. IT auditors take proactive methods in recognizing areas that are inclined to suffer from data loss, unauthorized access, or breaches. An IT audit also sustains effective risk management, ensuring that cybercrimes have ascended to meet current developments.

Confidence and Trust

Trust and confidence are vital to an organization’s survival. This doesn’t just pertain to businesses and customers but board members, investors, business partners, and management as well. An IT audit has a critical role of importance to organizations by ensuring that the business has applied the right safeguards, risk management measures, and controls.

Disaster Recovery

An IT audit tests the company’s disaster recovery plan, guaranteeing it’s up-to-date. IT auditing decreases the possibility of IT disruptions by examining the competence of backup procedures and data recovery abilities. IT disruptions include natural disasters, cyberattacks, and system failures.

Data Security

Data is crucial in the current business world. By doing an IT audit, you can evaluate if your IT databases and systems are managed and protected competently. This is vital to avoid data breaches and guarantee the best possible data security.

The IT Auditing Process

The IT auditing process involves the following steps:

Planning

In the beginning stage of an IT audit, an initial assessment is done that includes:

  • Operating settings
  • Hierarchy and structure of the company
  • Current IT software, hardware, and systems

Specifying the Goal and Scope of the IT Audit

The next step in the process is to specify the goal and scope of the assessment which includes the various parts of the IT systems to be covered such as:

  • Development standards and processes
  • IT infrastructure management
  • Network infrastructure
  • Systems and applications

Other variables that outline the scope of the audit include the length of time for the IT audit and the places where it is to be done. Apart from this, the goal of IT auditing must be well defined too, based on the requirements of a company.

Fieldwork

Once the plan is in place, the IT auditor implements it and tests the efficiency of the company’s IT controls. During this phase, they will also gather and examine evidence that backs up their findings. The IT auditor will document their work and communicate the findings and suggestions to the stakeholders and C-suite executives.

Evaluation and Collection

The gathered evidence must be significant and pertinent to support the auditor’s findings regarding the business, activity, and function under the audit. Before data collection, an IT auditor must have a solid understanding of the processes. Types of evidence collected and used to support an IT audit include:

  • Documents
  • Analysis
  • Existence and process of physical items

Reporting and Documenting

It is crucial to document all the audit evidence including the audit basis, planning and preparation of the audit, and the performed operations. The report should include:

  • Scope
  • Goals
  • Findings
  • Conclusions
  • Recommendations

Audit Report

After completing the examination and gathering the information, the IT auditor creates an official report that will detail the audit results and recommendations. The IT audit report will also contain opinions and ratings for the identified IT audit area. This report is then given to the stakeholders and C-suite executives.

Categories of IT Audit

Systems & Application

This audit centers on substantiating that systems and applications are timely, secure, dependable, valid, and appropriate at all stages of the system’s activity. This audit’s goal is to aid financial auditors.

Information Processing

This audit guarantees that the process is functioning timely, accurately, and timely, whether under disruptive or typical circumstances.

Systems Development

This audit confirms that the systems are developed by the company’s standards.

IT and Enterprise Architecture Management

This audit guarantees that the structure and process of IT management are efficient and accurate.

Intranets, Extranets, and Client/Servers

This audit centers on telecommunication controls that are in place since they function as the connection between the server and the client.

Maintaining Security Within Your IT Department

While a compliance IT audit is geared toward assisting businesses in fulfilling industry requirements, the goal of a security audit is to safeguard businesses from malware, cybersecurity dangers, and data breaches.

A security audit is a meticulous process of examining your complete IT infrastructure to identify potential threats, vulnerabilities, and unsafe procedures in your operations. The IT audit areas include:

  • Logical security
  • Incident management
  • Physical security
  • Data backup and disaster recovery
  • Change management
  • Information security

While adopting new technologies is required for many organizations to remain competitive, this digital expansion is also responsible for a rise in cyber-attacks.

An IT audit is an extremely valuable tool to safeguard your assets and retain the effectiveness of your organization’s business operations. If you need an IT audit for your Denver organization, contact Elevate today.