Security Audits – A necessary evil?

Almost every day, global information security breaches and attacks make the headlines, and from Obama and Tesla to various Government bodies, no company or organisation is immune to these threats.

If your company has fallen prey to one of these attacks you will have firsthand knowledge of how essential expert information security is for any business. The repercussions from potential loss of information and reputation are staggering, in addition to which you could be opening yourself up to lawsuits and numerous fines for failure to comply with regulation.

The first and the last step to any proactive information security strategy should consist of a thorough security audit involving a comprehensive study of your entire information system. Throughout this process, a security team conducts an in-depth analysis of possible threats targeting your organisation, and reviews the organisation’s current security practices to ensure that the correct and most up-to-date processes and infrastructure are being applied.

When carried out by an outside security provider, a security audit will identify gaps in your organisation’s existing defenses and weaknesses in your current technologies, information handling processes, user practices and other key areas.

Once the initial information security assessment is complete and the identified issues are resolved, a systematic security audit should be scheduled on a permanent basis to ensure that implemented security processes are actually working and meeting all expectations and requirements within the organisation.

While security audits are typically conducted for the purposes of business-information security, risk management and regulatory compliance, the process can also help your company save money by finding more efficient ways to protect IT hardware and software, as well as by enabling your business to get a better handle on the application and use of security technologies and processes.

Although at first glance the security audits can seem bothersome, business owners, executives and IT managers who truly understand them realize the importance of periodic examinations and how these can help ensure that security strategies are in sync with your overall business activities and goals.