Ever had a mechanical issue with your car?
More often than not, these issues creep up on us because we’ve forgotten to stay on top of things and get our car regularly inspected by a professional. In doing so, you’re at high risk of small, difficult-to-detect problems becoming big, expensive (and sometimes irreparable) ones.
Your IT is no different.
Without a trained IT specialist assessing your network regularly, how can you know if there are any open gates for cybercriminals to exploit, systems that are lagging behind, or critical government regulations you're not in compliance with?
You don’t.
With a professional IT audit or risk assessment, you’ll have visibility on your side, keeping you on top of your system’s security, performance and compliance.
IT Audit v Risk Assessment
While both of these are quite similar, they also differ in a few ways. When implemented together, businesses gain deeper insights into their cybersecurity and wider IT environment.
IT audit
An IT audit takes a closer look at the whole IT system. This includes data, applications, hardware, software, cloud, and people. This whole stack approach ensures your configurations are doing what they need to, and are performing at their highest possible level.
The primary goals of an IT audit include:
• Evaluating the systems that secure all data
• Ensure management processes are compliant
• Determine any inefficiencies in systems processes
• Identify risks to information and data and mitigate them
IT Risk Assessment
IT risk assessments are designed to complement a full IT audit. Where the audit looks into compliance, data integrity, and controls, a risk assessment is focused on keeping your systems secure. Once your IT systems have been unpacked during an IT audit, a risk assessment builds on these findings, and zones in on any shortcomings that may lead to outages, attacks or other data compromises.
Who needs an IT Audit or Risk Assessment?
Any businesses who are experiencing the following should consider an IT audit or risk assessment:
• Trouble managing software and hardware licensing
• Soaring costs from unused IT products and services
• IT configurations that aren’t doing what they’re built to do
• Systems that aren’t properly maintained
• User confusion leading to a drop on productivity
An IT audit is perfect for finding the root cause of these challenges. It ensures that your chosen technologies are on the same path as your business objectives. For many organisations, this includes minimising risk, reducing spending, and maximising your system’s potential.
By identifying risks and consolidating IT systems and processes as part of an audit, businesses can say goodbye to underused software and hardware, reduce downtime, and bolster cybersecurity – all of which help your bottom line.
Process
The audit process follows four stages:
• Understand the business contexts and what needs to be audited
• Use available information to assess IT environment
• Review findings and validate with the business
• Present to customer and finalise recommendations
Once the audit is complete, businesses receive a rating of their technology and risk with recommendations to help align them with their business goals. Each item is listed and scored, and using these insights, a roadmap is developed to prioritise what changes should be made first.
Outsourcing your IT audit
For a job so important, it’s definitely worth seeking outside help. Even if your business already has an outsourced IT expert, or an in-house IT team, finding an expert in compliance and security is the best way towards a better IT environment.
So what are the benefits of outsourcing your IT audit or risk assessment?
• Industry expertise: work with auditors who have experience helping all sorts of businesses and NFPs succeed.
• Detailed insights: access meticulous, data-driven, and actionable reports that provide maximum visibility over your IT.
• Compliance: identify and follow all relevant regulatory standards.
• Focus on your business: Leave the IT to somebody else while you focus on your business.
• Peace of mind: work knowing that your systems will do exactly what you want to do when you want to do it.
NFPs
For NFPs, there are also industry standard security standards and frameworks that must be met to remain compliant. This includes, Right Fit for Risk (RFFR), Essential 8, Victorian Protective Data Security Standards (VPDSS) and ISO 27000. These standards can be complex and hard to navigate, compromising your data integrity and long term organisational success. Outsourcing security and IT audits are a great way to focus on all the good work you’re doing while somebody else takes care of the rest.
Techware – your partners in security and compliance
If you’re ready to get on the front foot and take a closer look at your IT environment, Techware is the perfect partner to help you do that.
Specialising in IT Audits and Risk Assessments, we’ll provide you with valuable insights and recommendations to ensure your IT systems and management processes are secure, compliant, and always performing at their best.
Our expert technology consultants will thoroughly review your entire IT environment to discover weaknesses that leave you open to cyberattack, inefficiencies large and small, and any possible compliance risks. With our detailed reports, you’ll know exactly what to do to consolidate licences, reduce costs, secure your network, and move towards your business goals with added peace of mind.
Book in for one of our complimentary 30 min discovery calls and quickly learn how an IT Audit or Risk Assessment can help your business today.