IT Security Audit
A thorough evaluation of a company’s IT infrastructure and security status is known as an IT security audit. Organizations can identify and evaluate the risks present in their IT networks, connected devices, and apps by conducting an IT security audit. You have the possibility of achieving compliance and close security vulnerabilities.
Your IT security procedure may be stress-free with Nathan consulting. An information security audit in an organization is determined by the level of data security offered by the organization. By avoiding inappropriate information security designs and maximizing the effectiveness of security measures and processes, these audits are projected to raise the bar for information security. Information security audits cover a wide range of topics, from logical database security to physical data center security, before highlighting key indicators to look for and various auditing techniques. You can get a comprehensive or accurate picture of your risk situation by taking a 360-degree look at the processes and technologies used by your firm.
Our skilled team evaluates the complexity level of your present information security capabilities. We follow GLBA, SOX, HIPAA, PCI, NERC, and other regulations’ compliance requirements as well as best practices established by the industry and ISACA.
Preliminary audit assessment
With Nathan consulting, the precision of your fieldwork is maximized. During the initial phase of the audit, the auditor is in charge of determining the company’s present degree of technological maturity. This phase helps to establish the duration, expense, and the scope of the audit by evaluating the organization’s existing state. Determine your absolute basic security requirements first.
- Standards and policies for security
- Security in the workplace and personally
- Asset management, operation, and communication
- Security of the physical environment
- Control of access and compliance
- Development and maintenance of IT systems
- Management of IT security incidents
- Recovery from disasters and business continuity planning
- Management of risk
Planning & preparation
Based on the data discovered in the preceding step, the auditor should organize the audit of a company. Planning an audit enables the auditor to gather sufficient and relevant evidence for the unique conditions of each organization. It assists in setting fair expectations for audit charges, allocating the right personnel and timetable, and preventing client misconceptions.
The auditor should carry out the following prior to the review in order to fully assess if the client’s purpose is being met:
- Consult with IT management to identify any potential problems
- Examine the present IT organizational structure
- Examine the positions held by data center staff.
- Examine every operating system, piece of software, and piece of hardware used by the data center.
- Examine the organization’s IT policies and practices
- Examine the organization’s IT spending and system design.
Establishing audit objectives
The auditor will then go on to describe the goals of the data center audit as the following phase of the assessment of a centralized server. When evaluating the controls in place to reduce audit risks in the operating environment, auditors take into account a number of variables related to data center procedures and activities. The list of goals the auditor should look over is as follows:
- Personnel policies and obligations, including frameworks and bridge training
- Management and IT staff adhere to the change management procedures that have been put in place.
- The right backup mechanisms are in place to save downtime and avoid losing crucial data.
- The data center has sufficient physical security measures in place to guard against illegal entry.
- Sufficient environmental safeguards are in place to safeguard equipment from fire and flooding.
Performing the review
The next step is to gather proof to meet the goals of the data center audit. This entails going to the data center’s site and exploring its operations. To meet the predetermined audit objectives, the following review procedures should be carried out:
Data center staff – Only employees who have been granted access to the data center should work there (key cards, login IDs, secure passwords, etc.). Employees working in data centers are fully trained and equipped to do their tasks. When servicing data center equipment, vendor service staff are under supervision. To achieve their goals, the auditor should monitor and interact with workers in the data center.
Equipment – The auditor must ensure that all network infrastructure is operationally sound. The auditor is assisted in monitoring the condition of data center equipment by high utilization reports, equipment inspections for functionality and damage, systems downtime reports, and equipment performance measures. The auditor should also conduct employee interviews to find out if routine maintenance procedures are implemented and followed.
Policies and Procedures – All policies and procedures for the data center should be written down and kept at the network infrastructure. An overview of operating systems, recovery policies, security practices, employee termination rules, and system operating procedures are just a few examples of crucial documented procedures.
Physical security and environmental controls – The auditor should evaluate the data center security for the client. Security detail, guarded enclosures, man traps, single entrances, secured devices, and computerized monitoring systems are all examples of physical security. Environmental safeguards should also be in place to guarantee the safety of data center equipment. These include air conditioners, elevated flooring, humidifiers, and a backup power source.
Backup plans – The auditor should confirm that the client has plans in place in the event of a system breakdown. In the event of a system breakdown, clients can immediately resume operations by maintaining a data backup center in a different location.
Preparing the Audit Report
The audit results and recommendations for corrective actions might be presented to accountable stakeholders in a formal meeting when the audit study is finished. The audit suggestions will be better understood and supported as a result. Additionally, it allows the audited organization a chance to share its opinions on the pointed out flaws.
It can significantly improve audit effectiveness to write a report following such a meeting outlining the points where decisions have been made on all audit-related matters. Exit conferences also aid in the formulation of sensible and workable recommendations.
Issuing the review report
The data center evaluation report should contain a summary of the auditor’s conclusions and follow a systematic assessment report style. The audit reports should be dated as of when the auditor’s investigation and procedures were finished. It should outline the review’s scope and clarify that it only offers “limited assurance” to outside parties.
A data center evaluation report typically compiles the whole audit. Along with recommendations for how physical safeguards should be implemented, it also gives the customer advice on the suitable job descriptions for its employees. Its contents could consist of
- The procedures and conclusions of the auditors
- The auditors’ suggestions
- Goals, Purpose, and Methodologies
- Summary and conclusion
The report could optionally provide a ranking of the security flaws found during the audit’s execution.
