The IT audit (information technology audit) of a company's IT systems is of capital importance in the good management and development of the latter.
That said, the audit should be carried out by a competent IT auditor so that the company can reap the many benefits of this study. What is an IT audit and what is the benefit of carrying it out within your company?
The IT security audit: What does it consist of?
The information technology audit consists of an analysis and mapping of the state of a business IT system.
This analysis aims to identify the vulnerabilities of a digital environment and to provide solutions with a view to optimizing the protection of information and data.
Clearly, the IT audit allows small and medium-sized businesses to evaluate the main technical areas, the organization of security as well as the management of their information systems (IS) in business.
The observations made in these SMEs make it possible to decide on the functioning or not of the organization of the structure.
This management tool is also useful for ensuring the compliance of an IT system with current laws as well as the accuracy of financial information. Likewise, it facilitates procedures relating to possible merger, transfer and resale operations.
However, the IT audit of IT systems must necessarily be carried out by an IT security expert.
Apart from the controls, the latter will also provide advice and make recommendations with a view to helping the company be more efficient and more competitive in its market.
What is the point of carrying out an IT audit?
In this digital era, the use of IT has become essential for any business. The consequence is that computer systems are increasingly subject to various threats.
Given the large quantities of data stored on these systems, it is important to ensure their reliability and security.
Typically, an IT audit is performed for two main reasons: prevention and repair.
The preventive audit is carried out well before problems arise and helps limit the damage. The repair audit, on the other hand, consists of precisely identifying malfunctions and defining an action plan to resolve them.
For a company, the preventive audit is strongly recommended. Of course, it is not obligatory, but it must be carried out regularly to improve the cybersecurity of your company . Small, medium or large businesses, there are many advantages to carrying out an IT audit:
- Develop a detailed IT assessment;
- Inventory computer equipment;
- Understand how your IT equipment works;
- Review the validity of licenses and compliance with GDPR standards;
- Establish more effective and more successful practices;
- Implement a data recovery and maintenance strategy.
Thanks to all this, the company can:
- Effectively protect the data collected;
- Improve the organization and productivity of its teams;
- And save time by anticipating cyberattacks.
Thus, carrying out an IT audit is an opportunity to rectify the weaknesses and inadequacies of IT systems in SMEs with a view to improving their performance.
How to effectively audit your IT system?
The IT audit requires real expertise in information technology security. To take care of this, you can either proceed internally or request an IT auditor. Doing it in-house can be a good way to save money.
However, using a qualified external auditor saves time and benefits from an efficient and comprehensive audit. This is also the most recommended option. This allows you to obtain a fresh, relevant and objective look at your computer system.
However, it is not obligatory to audit your entire system. The IT audit may concern a particular scope that the expert will be responsible for verifying. For example, it could be:
- Post control;
- Network control;
- Or a technical inspection of equipment, etc.
In any case, well before calling on an IT auditor, it is useful to make a list of equipment and define a scope. All this will allow the expert to save time and carry out his audit directly using the information collected.
So that the IT auditor can gather better information at the end of his investigation, it may be relevant to seek the cooperation of all employees of the company.
What are the different types of audit?
IT audit is a general procedure that encompasses many sections. The main ones include the information technology function, IT studies, operations, IT projects, IT security and operational applications.
Audit of the IT function
The IT function audit evaluates the organization of the company's IT system. Its aim is to assess the impact of IT in your business and to know the costs based on the systems put in place.
Audit of IT studies
IT studies audit is a kind of audit audit of the IT function. He ensures its effectiveness, its adaptation, its mastery by the company's various departments and the smooth running of its relations with users.
Operational audit
This audit ensures the proper management and operation of the various IT production centers (resource management, production planning, etc.). As part of an operational audit, it may be relevant to use production monitoring tools.
The use of information systems dedicated to operations will promote greater efficiency both in carrying out the audit and at the production level.
Audit of IT projects
Different from the audit of IT studies, the audit of IT projects ensures the normal progress of projects and the coordination of all operations. The goal is to obtain an operational and efficient application at the end of the development phase.
The IT audit here consists of an evaluation of the feasibility of the projects, the risks, the clarity of the methods as well as the instructions used.
IT security audit
The more the Internet develops, the more IT-related risks multiply and threaten businesses. The aim of the IT security audit is to assess the level of sensitivity of a company to possible computer attacks.
- Read also:
It makes it possible to detect security vulnerabilities in order to implement actions for better protection and better control of computer equipment and corporate data.
Audit of operational applications
If the audits mentioned above are IT audits, the audit of operational applications relates more to the company's information system. It verifies the proper functioning of the software and compliance with current regulations.
This could be an audit of accounting applications, payroll, invoicing or an overall company process such as logistics, production, sales, purchasing, etc.
What are the different steps to carry out an IT audit?
The IT audit process follows several stages that can be summarized in three main points.
Preparing for the IT audit
This very crucial step consists of defining precise objectives by identifying the issues, strategies and examining the management of the company. During this first stage, it is necessary to know the uses and needs of the software and tools used as well as the employees who use them.
Hardware and software analysis
This second stage takes place in two stages. First, all company hardware and software must be examined to monitor their functionality, security level, and compliance with data management.
Secondly, it is necessary to test the information system to have an overall view of the processing of sensitive data and assess the company's risk of hacking ( cloud security , antivirus, wifi access point, backup management, etc. .)
The audit report
This third and final stage of the IT audit corresponds to an assessment of the analyzes carried out on the system. This report lists the company's strengths and weaknesses, then proposes relevant solutions to strengthen the security and efficiency of the system.
Why call on an IT security expert for your audit?
The numerous cyberattacks carried out over recent years have led to a considerable increase in demand for IT security. As a result, companies are becoming selective and extremely vigilant regarding the processing of their data.
The computer security expert is an ethical hacker. This reliable ally has the know-how and skills necessary to identify all security vulnerabilities in a system and prevent the intrusion of malicious computer hackers or hackers.
Training
To become a cybersecurity expert , it is necessary to endure a serious academic course. The course corresponds to a Bac+5 level which allows you to understand various types of architecture, to master different methods and to acquire good practices.
To train, the candidate has the possibility of registering for:
- A professional master's degree in cybersecurity;
- Or an engineering school specializing in cryptology and computer security.
These diplomas will be useful when applying for job offers in IT security . For such an unstable and constantly evolving sector, it will subsequently have to keep itself regularly updated in order to put its expertise to work, whatever the IT failure.
Missions and skills
The role of the cybersecurity expert mainly consists of protecting computer systems. With this in mind, the latter is called upon to carry out numerous missions.
An expert in IT auditing, he is particularly skilled in analyzing IT systems and helping structures achieve better performance through constructive advice.
In addition, the IT security expert will be able to help the company choose a platform, software or cloud computing infrastructure adapted to its needs. Among its missions, the main ones consist in particular of:
- Raise awareness of security issues;
- Implement and monitor technical security measures;
- Contribute to the development of the information security policy;
- Carry out technological monitoring and monitoring of its activity, etc.
Accomplishing these requires, among other things:
- Mastery of the IS environment and strategy;
- Operation of the ERP and databases;
- Use of the information systems use and security charter, etc.
Furthermore, thanks to his knowledge of legal and regulatory rules, the IT security expert will be able to advise and support users of an information system in compliance with the laws.
During his missions, he will obviously have to demonstrate availability and above all confidentiality in order to preserve the integrity of the company's data.
Conclusion
Despite the complexity of the process, the IT audit is an essential diagnosis for a company. Well done, it allows you to obtain an in-depth, detailed and complete analysis of the company's information system.
This reveals vulnerabilities and inadequacies then indicates corrective actions and preventive measures to be undertaken. This is therefore an opportunity for the company to implement more efficient work strategies and effectively develop its activity.
But the IT audit must still be carried out by a real IT security expert .