Do you have the right people to conduct a business IT audit?
Small- and medium-sized business (SMB) owners in Australia need an IT security audit just as much as large companies. However, many SMBs are unable to perform business IT audits due to a lack of qualified personnel. Even if you have an in-house IT team, their duties are often different from the function and role of an independent audit or compliance group.
Why do you need an IT consultant?
A business IT consultant will be your best option not only when you don’t have the right staff but also when you want to have a fresh set of eyes to look into your IT support system. An external IT security audit team can also teach your staff about the latest processes for compliance and security frameworks.
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Despite having experienced and skilled professionals, SMBs seldom have an IT staff who specialise in business IT security audit and system inspection. This is a common problem among SMBs in Australia. Once your IT department becomes aware of the common frameworks used by an external auditor, your employees can prepare and make an independent evaluation before an actual audit happens again.
Do you want to learn more about how IT security audit works? Book a free, no-commitment 60-minute consultation with a dork.
Common Audit Failures
A negative IT security audit often shows a company or sector’s lack of policies or outdated procedures. Business IT security audit failures also include not conducting penetration testings, also known as ethical hacking, for identifying the weak spots in an IT system.
An auditor may consider negligent employees to be an IT security audit failure as well, just like what happened in Victoria. The employees of certain health agencies didn’t change default usernames and passwords pre-set by the manufacturer on IT devices, according to a report. It’s a risky practice because hackers can easily obtain this information on the Internet.
The Final Word
Many Australian business owners believe that they don’t need an independent security and compliance function just for a business IT security audit. If you can’t afford to establish a separate group, let alone have an in-house IT department, then it’s best to hire a business IT consultant. Remember that an efficient IT security audit aims to expose and fix vulnerabilities that can be a business risk, instead of simply pointing out your company’s shortcomings on IT security and compliance.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2019. It has been revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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