AUDITS - A NECESSARY EVIL
Why perform audits anyway
An audit is performed when a company believes their operations are at optimal efficiency and want to keep them at such statuses, or when they need to know where the inefficiencies lie and are prepared to remedy them. Performing an information security audit is the perfect way to ensure that all actions the company is doing is in the best interest of their company and their clientele.
Alternatively many companies due to the nature of their business must remain compliant with certain standards that are determined by organizations; which keep the businesses operating in manners that are best for their data and more importantly their clientele.
The cost of not performing an audit
The average cost of a cyber incident can range from $1-$3 million dollars for small business and even more for larger corporations. Many of these incidents can be avoided by having a trained professional perform a (information) security audit on your practices.
A misconception about performing these audits is that you should allow your in house IT team solely perform them. While this is a fine idea to get the company started on the right path it is best to do a combination of outsourced auditing and in house auditing. IT teams sometimes get very busy and overwhelmed with their daily duties thus not able to perform all of their duties at 100% effectiveness. Audits of this nature are time consuming and burdensome which can easily offset any person who is already stretch thin. With the aforementioned knowledge an in-house person can sometimes be bias and miss details that wouldn’t be overlooked by an outside source which is why having a second and unbiased set of eyes on the field is very important.
Why Bruce?
As trained professionals Bruce™️ knowns what to look out for when it comes to proper practices and measures in security settings. Utilizing procedures and protocols that are military grade and accepted globally, we curated a list that matches the company and deliver accurate findings. We are trained to keep you compliant with NIST, HIPPA, PCI and mored.
When to schedule an Audit
Each company is going to have a different time regimen when it comes to the best time to perform an audit. The following events are a good baseline for moments in the company’s lifetime an audit should be conducted:
After a security event/incident
After changes in terms and conditions, data polices, or compliance laws
When the business has grown by more than 5 members.
When the business has a merger & before operations ramp up to 100%
After a technological overhaul
After a large data manipulation event
After new systems have been put into practice
How often should an audit occur?
Performing routine audits is exactly how one would stay ahead of the issues train as information security and cyber security are not static devices as long as the business in question is not static in growth (which no business should be for long). Most business find that a bi-annual audit does them just fine. For a business that does not grow much in a years time this is absolutely fine. On the other end of the spectrum there are some companies that perform audits every month. Each audit may reveal something the last could not due to the pace of the business and this is a perfect way to catch those issues. Contact Bruce™️ today to schedule your consultation and being you audit process, we will address all questions and concerns you may have towards your road to proper information integrity.