When it comes to information systems, auditing has never been so crucial regardless of the industry. As the digital realm is intensifying and information systems are evolving, we can see an increase in security breaches, which causes financial and long lasting reputational damage to an organization.
The importance of information security is to ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of data. Information such as bank account statements, trade secrets, and personal information should be kept private and confidential. Protecting such information is a major part of information security.
Gartner key metrics of data for 2010, found that companies spent an average of 5% of their IT budget on security and will reach $76.9 billion in 2015[1]. Every company has security controls and policies in place, however no one checks if they are followed rigorously. Likewise, new threats to information security which demand new procedures and tools are often overlooked. No matter how strong the information security policies and controls are a company won’t know the inadequacies, unless verified continually. An audit is carried out in connection with a financial statements and performance audit to evaluate compliance to applicable policies and laws. A report released by Maryland Department of Legislative Audits on Dec. 4, 2014 stated that an audit performed at University of Maryland’s Division helped in preventing a data breach.
This can be achieved by internal auditing with a goal to
Information security is the protection of information against accidental or malicious disclosure, modification or destruction. Information is an important, valuable asset of IDI which must be managed with care. All information has a value to IDI. However, not all of this information has an equal value or requires the same level
Modern organizations that utilize technology must now use their resources to protect themselves from malicious cybercrime activities. A “hacker” could illegally intrude into an organizations information network and use accounting software to mine information and steal assets at a relatively low risk of being caught.
Information security is the protection of information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification or destruction. Information security is achieved by ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. In health care:
The term digital privacy can be defined as or explain as by using digital means protecting information of private citizens or business, In these days when people try to explain what is digital privacy mostly they refer to usage of internet or relate with it. This is the technology era, digital privacy is being discussed in related areas, and addressing related issues according in right direction drive towards solution and help to secure more data. Digital privacy focuses and depends on the medium that is used by individuals and business, for example number of internet users do not have any idea that their activities and information about them regularly being stored. Through computer internet protocol, (IP) user’s activities and database can be accessed and monitored and information like search and view website history with date and time saved be search engines or servers. In this age, we can experience instant and dramatic changes and improvements in communication technology and digitalisation, to get require information become lot easier than before but also on the other hand to access information and breach of privacy is also being witness and sometimes technology help to expose abuses.
Data breaches like these have serious implications for the business operations and could even lead to the collapse of the whole system, where the law is applicable the Company’s systems are put under supervision to make sure they meet the newest regulation for financial data protection and regular auditing to make sure the system is stable and secure.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has dramatically affected overall awareness and management of internal controls in public corporations. Since modern accounting systems are computer based, accurate financial reporting depends on reliable, and secure, computing environments. Information security professionals are being asked to understand and comply with Sarbanes-Oxley in short time frames and with limited budgets. It is important that they learn as much as they can and create realistic compliance strategies (Stults, 2004).
Due to increasing economic and financial growth, many types of audit have been incorporated throughout the development process of internal activities. Audits can be performed manually or they can incorporate technology. According to Hunton and
While all of these technologies have enabled exciting changes and opportunities for businesses, they have also created a unique set of challenges for business managers. Chief among all concerns about technology is the issue of information security. It seems to be almost a weekly occurrence to see a news article about yet another breach of security and loss of sensitive data. Many people will remember high profile data breaches from companies such as T.J Maxx, Boston Market, Sports Authority, and OfficeMax. In the case of T.J. Maxx, a data breach resulted in the loss of more than 45 million credit and debit card numbers. In many of these incidents, the root cause is a lack of adequate security practices within the company. The same technologies that enable managers can also be used against them. Because of this, businesses must take appropriate steps to ensure their data remains secure and their communications remain
Auditing is described as the independent examination of and expression of an opinion on the financial statements of an enterprise by an appointed auditor in pursuance of that appointment and in compliance with any relevant statutory obligation. Thus auditing of information systems can be defined as independent examination of and expression of an opinion on the development, documentation and controls of information systems of an enterprise by an appointed auditor in pursuance of that appointment and in compliance with any relevant company requirement. The purpose of an audit is not to provide additional information but rather it is intended to provide the users of the systems with assurance that the information
In looking at the audit from the previous audit period I noticed a couple of mistakes. In response to these mistakes I enlisted a worker in IT who will look at the controls for your computers to make sure they are secure and that only permitted people can enter the computer systems and nobody else so that they proven to be more secure.
Information security involves the protection of information regardless of whether it is in digital form, being stored on computers, or in transit over a network. It is a set of strategies for managing the processes, tools, and policies necessary to prevent and detect threats to
Also the information systems where the data or information is stored have to be protected from unauthorised access, use or disclosure. Also one needs to be careful not to disrupt the system, modify or destruct data or information as they are highly sensitive and cause disastrous effects for the organisation and the individual related to it. These type of data are confidential and used my governments, hospitals, military and other highly sensitive secure organisations. Information security is a business requirement and also a legal requirement.
Hunton, J. E., Bryant, S. M., & Bagranoff, N. A. (2004). Core concepts of information technology auditing. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Information Security has been a growing role in businesses and will continue to grow because of the ever changing ways of technology. Microsoft has been a leader in the information security industry since it was founded in 1975. Bill Gates and Paul Allen are the founders of this business and have made it a global billion dollar company. With the company venturing in all devices such computers, cell phones, and even cars the sky is the limit for this company to continue to thrive in the technology business. Since 1975 the industry has expanded rapidly and security within the technology business has tightened and has tried to stay ahead of the criminals and hackers as they are always looking to disrupt and break in. An information security
This research paper focuses on how IT audits are done and how they can help in assisting an organization in its regulatory compliance effort by identifying information security weaknesses prior to an external audit. The key players and their roles are defined, as well as organizational, results-based, point-in-time systems and extended-period audits. This leads to a natural question. In this new world of connected GRC, what is the role of internal audit compared to compliance? Where do these roles remain separate and where do they share responsibilities? How can these professionals work together to drive business value?