IT auditors often need to educate the community about their values in the industry. Not many internal audit departments in companies have an IT auditing component. IT auditors cover a wide range of IT communication and processing infrastructure, such as databases, web services, software applications, security systems, operating system implementations and others. The standard auditing should start with risk identifications. Then, auditors need to assess the control design and finally test the effectiveness of the existing controls. Here are benefits organizations can get through IT auditing:
- Reduced risks: IT auditing may reduce risks related to availability, integrity and confidentiality of information technology. Risks related to processes and infrastructure can also be reduced. Other sources of risks may include reliability, efficient and effectiveness of IT. Once auditors asses specific risks, they will have a clearer vision on things they need to do. They can mitigate and reduce risks through controls. When risks have been minimized and can’t be eliminated fully due to possible external factors, then the organizations can accept them as part of the business process.
- Improved security and strengthened controls: Controls should be assessable and identifiable after we asses the above risks. Ineffective and poorly designed controls can be strengthened or redesigned. In high level domains, there are about 32 control processes that can be audited to reduce risks. IT auditing should cover all information security aspects, such as critical success factors, key goal indicators, key performance indicators and objectives.
- Better compliance with regulations: There are a wide range of regulations at the state and federal levels that include different requirements for IT security. IT Auditors could serve as a critical professional who ensures that all requirements are fulfilled, controls are implemented and risks are assessed. As an example, companies may have three basic areas of IT requires, physical, technical and administrative. In this case, IT auditors could play a role in making sure that the current system complies with existing requirements.
- Better communication between technology and business managements: An IT audit process should have a positive effect on establishing communication channels between the organizations’ technology and business management. Auditors can observe, interview and test things that happen in practice and in reality. Valuable information about the whole system should be the final deliverable from an IT audit process. This can take form as an oral presentation or written report.
- Improved IT governance: With IT governance, board of directoes and executives can make sure that the company’s IT infrastructure can extend and sustain the predetermined objectives and strategies. IT auditors will remain key players in the processes, organizational structures and leadership. Strong understanding of risks and values are central to overall IT management and auditing. There are key objectives that must be achieved such as making the IT infrastructure properly aligned with the overall business operation.
To sum up, IT auditors should be able to add values by minimizing risks, enhancing security, complying with existing regulations and establishing communication between managements.
