How To Pass An Information Security Audit With Flying Colors
An information security audit can be a very difficult time for any company, especially since it involves an external agency looking into the network security aspects and assessment of the risk to the data of the company. Loosely defined, information security audits are an examination of the security measures of a company so that untoward incidents like network security breaches do not occur. Such tests are very important, since they can avoid major losses and potential damages to the companies if such incidents were to occur.
But, all the same, security audits can be nerve-wracking times for the company. If there is a hint that the security measures are not in place, then it can mar the credibility of the company, and clients would not like to entrust their confidential files with them. That is why it is absolutely vital that companies prepare well in advance for their audits.
The first thing that they must know is that there are two different types of security audits that can take place. These are the computer security audit and penetration tests.
Penetration tests, often called colloquially as pen tests, are an attempt to hack into the company database without any specific information about the company. The idea is to duplicate the environment in which a hacker would work, i.e. without any inside knowledge. In penetration tests, usually flaws in firewalls and server accesses are looked into. The computer security audits are much more difficult to pass because here the auditors will be working with an inside information on the company. The results are provided after a very systematic and stringent examination of all the security resources and internal services of the company. Learning how the information auditors work will give companies a very good idea of what systems they must put into place before the auditing. Most companies are worried because they do not exactly know what their auditors will be looking into. Pen tests are easy to pass out, but the computer security audits are difficult The following is thus a list of the important factors that company security auditors will be looking into:- The first focus will be on the strength of the passwords. They will try to crack passwords will all sources that are available to them.
- They will check whether access control lists have been designated to monitor the people who have access to all kinds of shared information. Similarly, they will check for logs that record the people who actually access this shared information. More stringent auditors will investigate whether such logs are reviewed, and how frequently.
- Compliance with industry standards for security will be looked into with intricateness.
- Systems that have unnecessary files still existing on them show poor management within the office and will get a bad review.
- Similarly, systems that have obsolete operating systems and software applications will meet disfavor with the information auditors.
- Devices used for encryption of data will be investigated thoroughly. Their configurations will be checked.
- If there are any custom-built software applications used by the company, they will be looked into very thoroughly. Their security measures will be analyzed in a very expert and proficient manner.
- Another important area that the information auditors will look into is the backup program of the company's information system. They will check whether the backup measures are current, and if there is a disaster recovery plan. A trial of this recovery plan might be taken. They will also check who in the company has access to the backup information that is generated. Knowing about what the computer security auditors will be actually looking for proves to be a great help in preparing for such examinations. It is wise to understand the glossary of terms used within this field. Also make sure that every product, tool and technology that the auditors would use are known to the company IT experts. Since information security auditing is an ongoing process, companies must endeavor to constantly keep their resources in place.
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