Interscale Content Hub – We know there are IT audits and IT security assessments. And yes, they both look pretty similar in practice. So, how does an IT audit differ from a security assessment?
First of all, remember both processes play a big part in keeping an organisation’s IT infrastructure safe.
So, let’s get one thing straight: they serve different purposes and are conducted differently. Right, let’s get into the real details now.
Key Differences Between IT Audits and Security Assessments
Objective and Focus
The main goal of an IT audit is to make sure that a company is following all the relevant rules and standards, like HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or GDPR.
As the Happiest Minds Technologies report shows in their whitepaper, “IT Risk Assessment,” an IT audit is a way of checking that an organisation’s IT infrastructure meets all the legal and regulatory requirements, which helps to avoid any problems with compliance.
On the other hand, a security assessment is all about spotting and fixing any potential weaknesses in the IT environment.
The “Information Security Assessment Report,” by Securance Consulting for the Colorado State, says that a security assessment is all about giving you an overview of how secure your company is, testing how resilient you are against common vulnerabilities and forms of attack.
Security assessments are all about spotting specific security weaknesses and suggesting ways to improve the overall security infrastructure, so that potential breaches can be prevented.
Methodology and Approach
IT audits are a way of checking that everything’s in order. They involve looking over documents, policies and procedures, as well as chatting with staff and testing controls to make sure everything’s working as it should.
The Security Consulting report says that IT audits also include testing various aspects of the IT environment, such as network configurations, firewall settings, and user access controls, to make sure that everything is following the right rules.
This process often follows a set of guidelines or standards, such as those outlined in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) publications.
NIST has lots of helpful advice on security and privacy controls for information systems and organisations.
One notable publication is NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-53, Revision 5, which is called “Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations.”
This document outlines a list of security and privacy controls organisations can use to protect their systems and data.
Security assessments can be pretty flexible, involving different methodologies like vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and even risk assessments.
These assessments are usually done before anything bad happens, so they can spot and fix any problems before they can be used to cause trouble. This process includes:
- Evaluating the effectiveness of existing security controls
- Conducting penetration tests to simulate cyber-attacks
- Performing risk assessments to understand potential impacts on business operations.
Outcome and Reporting
The result of an IT audit is a formal report that shows how compliant the company is, where it needs to improve, and what it should do to fix it.
This report is key for showing that you’re complying with the rules set by regulators, customers and other stakeholders.
An IT audit report is a great way to show that you’ve done your due diligence, which is essential for regulatory compliance and insurance purposes.
A security assessment is all about looking closely at the organisation’s vulnerabilities and coming up with ways to reduce the risks.
This report helps organisations figure out where to focus their security improvements and how to use their resources to deal with the biggest threats.
The Securance Consulting report explains how security assessments help organisations to improve their security measures and manage and mitigate risks.
For your reference, please read “MFA for Active Directory: Your one-stop solution for advanced security.”
Importance of IT Audits
IT audits are there to make sure that an organisation is doing what it needs to do to meet its regulatory obligations and to keep its internal control environment in good shape.
They give stakeholders the peace of mind that the organisation’s IT systems are secure and compliant.
Regular IT audits help to spot any gaps in compliance, so that organisations can deal with them before they become major problems.
One of the main benefits of IT audits is that they help you to make sure you’re complying with all the relevant regulations and standards.
For instance, if you’re handling sensitive data, it’s crucial to stick to HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or GDPR.
Plus, IT audits help to improve how IT resources are managed and governed.
The Colorado State Auditor’s report shows how IT audits help make IT operations more efficient by identifying inefficiencies and suggesting ways to improve IT management.
This can include updating old systems, changing how networks are set up, and making it easier to control who has access to what.
Also, IT audits can help you find out if there are any weaknesses in your IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, and applications. These weaknesses could be exploited by malicious actors.
This proactive approach helps to stop data breaches and keep sensitive information safe and secure.
IT audits also help companies manage risks better by giving them a full picture of their IT environment.
They find out what could go wrong and how it could affect the company, so that management can put in place the right ways to deal with it.
For example, the Securance Consulting report shows how regular IT audits help to keep disaster recovery plans up to date and improve logical access controls.
These are important steps to make sure the business keeps going and protects its most important data in case of an emergency.
Importance of Security Assessments
A good security assessment helps to find weaknesses in existing IT and enterprise apps, so that organisations can take action to avoid any problems.
Security assessments are a great way to get a detailed picture of an organisation’s security landscape. They help identify weaknesses before malicious actors can exploit them.
As the Securance Consulting report on the Colorado State Auditor’s Office shows, spotting security holes early on helps to come up with ways to make defenses stronger and improve overall cybersecurity.
Another great thing about security assessments is that they can help improve security protocols and policies.
By keeping an eye on security measures and making updates when needed, organisations can stay one step ahead of new threats and make sure they’re doing everything they can to stay secure.
For a more detailed perspective, kindly read “Data Breaches, Downtime, and Dollars: What is IT Risk Assessment?“
How IT Audits and Security Assessments Work Together
While IT audits are all about making sure you’re following the rules, security assessments are about finding and fixing any problems with your IT system.
The result of an IT audit is a formal report that shows how compliant the company is, where it needs to improve, and what it should do to fix it.
This report is really important for showing that you’re compliant with the regulators, customers and other stakeholders.
A security assessment is a more in-depth look at the organisation’s vulnerabilities, with actionable recommendations for reducing risks.
These reports help organisations figure out what to focus on first when it comes to security improvements and make sure they’re using their resources in the best way to deal with the most critical threats.
Together, IT audits and security assessments give us a complete picture of the IT risks we face.
IT audits make sure the company is doing what it has to do by the rules and has a strong system of checks and balances in place. Security assessments look for and fix any potential problems before they become serious.
This combined approach makes sure that an organisation’s IT infrastructure is both secure and compliant, protecting critical assets against new cyber threats.
How Interscale Can Be Your IT Supporting System
One of the main challenges that organisations face is the gap between identifying vulnerabilities and implementing effective solutions.
That’s why we at Interscale offer customized solutions. This lets you combine IT audits and IT risk assessments to effectively manage cybersecurity as a main defence.
We provide comprehensive risk assessments and IT audits that highlight critical areas needing attention and offer tailored strategies for remediation.
By using Interscale’s expertise, your company can be sure that its security measures are up to scratch and in line with industry standards.
This approach means your organisation knows about the risks and has a plan to deal with them.
Our work with Davey Water Products shows what we can do when it comes to delivering effective IT security solutions.
With all these kinds of capabilities, we want you to do a few background checks on us. So, to get started, we suggest you check out our Interscale Cybersecurity Support page.
Or, if you want more detail and a more comprehensive adjustment, just get in touch and we’ll arrange a time to chat. We’re here for you 24/7.
In Closing
IT audits and security assessments are both important parts of a solid IT security strategy.
With Interscale as your cybersecurity supporting system, you can get a full picture of your IT infrastructure by combining the two.
So, what’s the difference between an IT audit and a security assessment? It doesn’t matter what the difference is, you need to take a joined-up approach and proactively identify vulnerabilities and implement the necessary safeguards.
