An IT security audit can often be a source of stress within a company, but it should not be.
Security audits are technical reviews of the configurations, technologies and infrastructure of an IT system; all of this to reduce the risk of a cybersecurity breach.
This detailed data can intimidate those who feel less informed about IT, but understanding the resources and strategies available to protect against modern attacks makes IT security more accessible.

What is an IT security audit?

An IT security audit includes two types of assessments: manual and automated.

Manual assessments occur when an external or internal IT security auditor interviews employees, reviews access controls, analyzes physical access to hardware and performs vulnerability scans. These reviews should take place at least once a year; some organizations do them more frequently.

Organizations should also review the automated assessment reports generated by the system. Automated assessments do not only integrate this data; they also respond to software monitoring reports and to changes made to server and file settings.

How do an IT risk assessment and an IT security audit differ?

When talking about IT risk assessments and audits, the two terms are often used interchangeably. It is important to note, however, that while both are important elements of a solid risk management program, they serve different purposes.

An IT risk assessment provides a high-level overview of your IT infrastructure, as well as the security controls of your data and network. The goal is to identify gaps and areas of vulnerability.
Conversely, an IT audit is a detailed and comprehensive review of said IT systems and current security controls.

As a general rule, an assessment takes place at the start of your risk management program to help you identify areas where action and/or new security policies are needed.

A security audit or compliance audit takes place towards the end, when it is time to obtain certification or attestation. Or, when penetration tests have failed to prevent a controlled cyberattack such as a firewall breach, an IT audit takes place to determine what did not work.

Why is an IT security risk assessment important?

Before creating procedures and controls around IT security, organizations need an IT security risk assessment to determine their exposure to risk. Carrying out a corporate security risk assessment has six crucial benefits.

• Justify financial expenditure:

First, a risk assessment can help justify the financial expenditure needed to protect an organization. Information security has a cost. Tight budgets mean that additional expenses can be difficult to get approved.

• Articulate risks and quantify threats

An IT security risk assessment articulates critical risks and quantifies the threats to information assets. By educating internal stakeholders so that they can see not only the exposure but also the value of mitigating critical risks, a security risk assessment helps justify security investments such as a penetration test or the creation of new security measures.

• Streamline IT department productivity

Risk assessments also help streamline IT department productivity. By formalizing the structures that facilitate continuous monitoring, IT departments can focus on actively reviewing and collecting documentation rather than responding defensively to threats.

• Break down barriers between departments

In addition, assessments can help remove obstacles. Starting with a security risk assessment puts company management and IT staff on the same page. Management must make decisions that mitigate risks while IT staff implement them.
Working together from the same risk assessment gives everyone the information he or she needs to protect the organization and makes it easier to take ownership of security efforts beyond the IT department.

• Establish a basis for self-assessment

Corporate security risk assessments also form the basis of self-assessment. While IT staff know the technical operating systems, network and application information, implementation depends on staff in other business units.
Risk assessments provide accessible reports focused on actionable information so that all those involved can take on the appropriate level of responsibility for protecting sensitive systems and data. To foster a culture of compliance, security cannot operate in isolation.

• Share information between departments

Finally, security assessments help share information between departments. With individualized vendors and systems, different departments within an organization may not know what the others are doing. In addition, they may have no idea of your overall security posture.
Since senior management within large companies must all share responsibility, assessments provide the information needed for meaningful discussions supporting IT security.

What does an IT security auditor do?

External auditors provide a variety of services. They review organizations’ information systems, security procedures, financial reports and compliance methodology to determine effectiveness and identify security gaps.

Although these areas seem isolated, they overlap in several places.
Consequently, engaging an IT security auditor does not only help protect a company’s information assets. It also offers opportunities to increase its compliance.

What should an organization look for in an IT security auditor?

Faced with the surge in cyber attacks, the ANSSI (French national agency for the security of information systems) decided to delegate a large part of its missions to external providers. It therefore created a qualification, called PASSI for Information Systems Security Audit Providers, to make sure that the IT security companies commissioned respect the same specifications as ANSSI engineers.

Here are therefore the three reasons that should push every company to systematically use a PASSI-qualified provider for carrying out security audits:

• You are an Operator of Vital Importance (OIV)

If your company is in this situation, then there is no question: you are required to call on a PASSI-qualified provider.

• The guarantee of secure audit conditions

The PASSI qualification attests to a high technical, methodological and organizational level of the provider, but also of the staff it employs. ANSSI validates that the legal entity wishing to obtain the PASSI qualification has a secure information system and that the consultants have the required knowledge and skills in the five major areas of cybersecurity expertise: penetration testing, configuration audit, architecture audit, governance audit and source code audit.

• “Up-to-date” knowledge of the latest threats

When a provider is PASSI-qualified, ANSSI auditors regularly check that its ethics, organization, processes and information system still meet the expected quality. Where appropriate, ANSSI asks the consultants to update their skills. The PASSI qualification requires the cyber audit provider to have a continuous improvement approach, and to always be up to date in terms of information systems security.

CISA: Certified Information Systems Auditor

The “Certified Information Systems Auditor” (CISA) certification is a title considered one of the most reputable certifications in the field of security.

The popularity of the CISA certification keeps growing even more in recent years.

The CISA certification is granted by ISACA, an association created in 1969 for the privacy, risk, security, assurance, audit and governance of information systems.

Benefits of the CISA certification

The main reason IS auditors choose to take CISA certification training is to improve their ability and their level within the organization.
When you have better ability in your organization, it guarantees you a higher level of pay as well as job security.

The CISA course strengthens your credibility within the organization and lets your organization know your abilities and knowledge once you have passed the exam.

Once you become CISA certified, it not only impacts your career, but it is also reflected on the company you work for.

Let’s take a look at some of the main benefits of being CISA certified.

Improved skills

Once you take the ISACA training, you will learn through an international body and it will improve your skill level. You will be on the right track to acquire all the necessary skills that could lead you to a perfect job.

Increased chances of promotion

The main objective of any certification training is to add value to your skills and apply them in the work environment in which you work. With the help of certified training, any employee becomes more and more committed to offering the best services to the company and adding value to it. With the right amount of hard work, he / she could be promoted within the company. CISA certification training will prepare you for the industry with all the skills necessary to increase your chances of getting a promotion at work.

Recognition

CISA is a global certification and it is recognized worldwide. Every country respects CISA-certified professionals as excellent in auditing the IT systems of various companies. The CISA certification will add considerable value to your resume and portfolio.

Expertise with experience

This course will allow learners to become familiar with all the audit skills required in this field. Each learner will be able to work on their Information Systems skills as they progress through the course.

Is the CISA certification worth it?

In reality, only you can answer this question for yourself, but if we look at the career point of view, it is worth it.

The CISA certification will add significant value to your profile and help you build a career path in the IT industry. CISA-certified professionals are valued in all organizations, and their pay level, as well as recognition, is well above that of non-certified employees.

How to obtain the CISA certification?

The process of obtaining the CISA certification is divided into four necessary steps. Before moving on to the steps, let’s see what the process consists of.

• First, you must pass the CISA exam with a score of 450 or more.
• You must have 5 years or more of experience in professional information systems security, control or audit.
• Over time, you must maintain your certification by paying specific maintenance fees and meeting certain CPE requirements.

Pass the CISA exam

To pass the exam, you must first register for it. There are no prerequisites to take this exam. Once you have completed the registration process, you can continue with the study process. You can study from the official CISA review manual or opt for a CISA course.

Acquire professional experience

This is a difficult part of obtaining the CISA certification. You must demonstrate at least five years of professional experience in information systems security, control or audit. Another policy is that this experience must be acquired within five years of the date on which you passed this exam, or within the ten years before the date of registration for the exam.

The CISA certification will showcase your skills and knowledge and add credibility to the skills you possess. Recruiters would certainly prefer to hire a CISA-certified professional over a non-certified one, especially since you are interested in information systems security auditing.

Numeryx is an information systems security audit organization currently being PASSI-certified and with a core of CISA-certified auditors.

Our academy Numeryx University will give you simple access to CISA training, so do not hesitate to contact us.