As the number of cyber-attacks is skyrocketing, business organizations are becoming aware of the need to protect data from a potential breach. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving with new and different ways to hack systems and distort information for financial gain. As a result, business organizations require better ways to handle cyber threats by imposing effective security tools. To check the efficiency of security controls and reduce the level of risks, business organizations can use Cyber Security Audits.

The audit is significant to save an organization from cybercrime like external and insider threats. It gives an organization a chance to systematically evaluate security systems and make changes if required.

In this blog, we will understand the concept of Cyber Security Audit and how it helps organizations with the protection of sensitive data.

Cyber Security Audit

A cybersecurity audit is an evaluation tool. It is used to review any business organization’s security systems and involves an extensive analysis of the adopted security programs. The purpose of an audit is to ensure the implementation of required regulations. It identifies the loopholes in the defense against cyber-attacks and takes measures to improve the protection of databases. The audit confirms if the mandatory compliances are followed along with data privacy laws.

A third-party auditor checks the susceptibility of system networks and indicates the imperfections that can result in a data breach. Along with this, the system software is also supervised to safeguard against malicious activities.

Need for Cyber Security Audit

• Cyber security audits are important to protect the organization from identity theft by malicious actors and prevent potential hacking in the information technology.
• Audits help the organization to understand complicated areas with the help of an in-depth internal and external analysis to determine an efficient approach.
• Various types of cyber-attacks can cause huge financial losses. These attacks include phishing, ransomware, malware, Denial of Service Attack spyware, botnet, computer viruses, and many more. An audit is conducted to reduce cyber threats and save the organization from consequential financial damage.
• Another consequence of data breaches is reputational damage. There is a high chance that reputational damage will create distrust among shareholders and customers. An effective audit program protects the virtue of the organization and its operations.
• The auditor makes sure that all the compliance requirements are fulfilled, and measures are taken to prevent the odds of spiteful activity.

Types of Cyber Security Audit

There are three different types of audit procedures that are a must for every organization. They are:

• Compliance Audit

As the name suggests, such audits are conducted to see if the organization complies with important regulatory compliances and policies. However, these audits cannot always identify an organization’s security posture and its weaknesses. Other than that, compliance audits are usually time and cost- efficient.

• Penetration Audit

A penetration audit is useful for making a comprehensive analysis of the security system of the organization. In this, artificial tests are conducted to identify the vulnerabilities of the security system. These tests are helpful in taking corrective action to prevent the organization from exploitation. These tests are comparatively expensive and time-consuming.

• Risk Assessment Audit

Risk assessment is a type of forecasting of potential threats to evaluate the possibility of occurrence and the degree of damage. This type of audit is helpful but not the ultimate solution to the problem of cyber-attacks. Risk assessment audits are more expensive and time-consuming than any other type of audit.

Conducting an Audit

Generally, there are two types of audits conducted within an organization. They are internal audit and external audit. Where internal audits are the responsibility of an in-house team of auditors, external audits are conducted by a third party. Both are important and have their benefits.

A business organization must conduct a cyber security audit once a year. But it should not be limited to this. The organization can increase the number of audits based on the requirements. The frequency of audits depends on the size of the organization. A large organization may require more audits at regular intervals in comparison to a small organization.

Conclusion

Security audits are extremely important to protect a business organization from cyber-attacks and hacking. Audits are a need of the hour in this digital age where all the information is easily available for misuse. If you don’t want to put your business at risk, then you must have an auditing partner.

Cyber Cops is your perfect partner to support platform with safe encryption to eliminate risks and safeguard the business organization with compliance and security. Get the ultimate data, network and system security with best industry practices and prioritize data protection.