IT Audit

The objectives of an IT audit

Evaluate the systems and processes in place that secure company data.
Determine risks to a company's information assets, and help identify methods to minimize those risks.
Ensure information management processes are in compliance with IT-specific laws, policies and standards.
Determine inefficiencies in IT systems and associated management.

Types of IT audit

/ There are five categories of IT Audits:

Systems and Applications: An audit to verify that systems and applications are appropriate, are efficient, and are adequately controlled to ensure valid, reliable, timely, and secure input, processing, and output at all levels of a system's activity. System and process assurance audits form a subtype, focussing on business process-centric business IT systems. Such audits have the objective to assist financial auditors.

Information Processing Facilities: An audit to verify that the processing facility is controlled to ensure timely, accurate, and efficient processing of applications under normal and potentially disruptive conditions.

Systems Development: An audit to verify that the systems under development meet the objectives of the organization, and to ensure that the systems are developed in accordance with generally accepted standards for systems development.

Management of IT and Enterprise Architecture: An audit to verify that IT management has developed an organizational structure and procedures to ensure a controlled and efficient environment for information processing.

Client/Server, Telecommunications, Intranets, and Extranets: An audit to verify that telecommunications controls are in place on the client (computer receiving services), server, and on the network connecting the clients and servers.

Benefits of IT audit

By identifying inaccuracies and inefficiencies in the management and use of the IT system, organizations may gain the following benefits:

Enhancing security measures
Improve the efficiency of the IT system
Understanding employee's demand for the IT system, and maintaining a user friendly IT environment
Help the IT system of the organization to follow proper regulation
Providing useful information for future planning of an IT system

The effectiveness of an organization's information technology, policies and operations can be examined and evaluated by an IT audit.

Information technology audits determine whether IT controls protect corporate assets, ensure data integrity and are aligned with the business's overall goals. IT auditors examine not only physical security controls, but also overall business and financial controls that involve information technology systems.

Since modern organizations are highly compiterized, IT audits are used to ensure the proper operation of information-related controls.