An information security audit is a survey that aims to verify and assess the state of information security (IS) of a company, identify vulnerabilities and inconsistencies.
There are internal and external audits. Internal audit is necessary for self-control, the company conducts it by its employees. An external audit helps to obtain an independent assessment of information security processes and infrastructure security from a third-party organization that has all the necessary certificates and licenses.
How to prepare for the audit
Before conducting an internal audit, employees of the information security department prepare an internal document where they prescribe the verification process step by step: a list of systems and processes, the type of final reports, etc.
Before an external audit, the auditing organization signs an NDA and an agreement with the company. The contract sets out the obligations of the parties, verification requirements, verification boundaries, etc. After that, the auditors pre-examine the information security processes and the composition of the company’s IT infrastructure.
What is checked during the audit
During the audit, specialists check: operating systems, servers, communications, data processing processes, access rights, etc. The audit allows you to find weaknesses in the information security and IT infrastructure so that in the future the company can reliably protect confidential information and avoid financial and reputational losses.
The result of the audit
After the audit, specialists compile a final report with information on the state of information security processes and make recommendations on what needs to be fixed. The company can perform them on its own or by outsourcing tasks to a third-party organization.
Specialists ITGLOBAL.COM Security recommends conducting an internal audit 4 times a year, and an external audit at least 1-2 times a year. But everything depends on the tasks of the business and the impact of information security on the company’s activities.