Is it Time to Audit Your IT Systems?

When was the last time you had your IT systems audited? If your answer to this is ‘never’, or it’s been so long that you can’t remember, then ask yourself this question: Can I be sure that my systems and employees are suitably protected? Or, perhaps, you know that there is an area of your IT network systems that needs fixing or improving, but you’re not sure how to go about this or what the best method would be.

What are the objectives?

When it comes to an IT system audit, it’s important that there is a specific purpose for carrying it out. What are the objectives? A good IT audit will involve a detailed investigation of the areas in question and produce actionable information that is of real value to you and your organisation.

Below, are some common objectives of the IT audits we perform for our clients:

• To assess a company’s back-up/recovery regime to uncover any shortcomings

• To assess the availability of the systems in terms of business continuity

• To carry out an assessment of software vulnerabilities and requirements for patching

• Configuration and maintenance of a system’s security to combat everyday threats

• To analyse how the critical email systems are configured for routing, filtering, continuity & protection

• To aid with activity monitoring, compliance and forensic investigation

• To carry out a full examination of a system’s configuration in order to provide comprehensive recommendations

What is the purpose?

Ultimately, the purpose of having an IT systems audit can be summarised as follows: to ensure that your systems are operating effectively to maintain your data integrity, safeguard your assets and achieve the goals and objectives of your organisation. If you are a relatively new business, without substantial IT systems in place yet, you could still benefit from an IT audit. It can help in answering any questions you may have and determining the best course of action for you to take, with consideration of your specific business objectives and your budget.

In this day and age, it’s more important than ever to ensure that your systems are protected. Data security is a huge and growing concern of both individuals and organisations. Recently, we have seen a surge in high profile data leaks with many well-known companies hitting the headlines for having been targeted by hackers. The consequences for these businesses can be devastating; with sensitive company, employee and customer data in jeopardy, a business can suffer significant reputational damage. This might, ultimately, lead to substantial losses in revenue when customers become apprehensive about sharing their personal data with companies that have previously been targeted by hackers.

Conclusion

Have you taken adequate measures to protect your organisation from this eventuality? We offer a full range of IT system audit and investigation services, all of which include a thorough assessment and actionable advice with real value to your organisation.

We provide a FREE 60 minute consultation, giving you expert advice and plenty of time to decide if it is time to audit your IT systems, and if we’re the right company to do this for you.

For more information, please contact us today!

Image source: VACO Technologies