Did you know that the threat of cybersecurity attacks is increasing at an unprecedented rate? Individuals, companies, and even governments are all at risk. And thanks to the boom in work-from-home situations, organizations are even more vulnerable to attacks.
By performing a thorough IT audit, you’ll be able to make sure that your systems are safe and your employees are utilizing best practices. So keep on reading to learn more!
Plan the IT Audit
First, you’ll want to decide if you want to perform an internal audit or hire a company within the IT industry to do the audit. If you’re a small business owner looking to protect your bottom line, then you’ll probably want to conduct an internal audit.
You’ll have to figure out who will do the audit, when it will take place, and how you will prepare your employees.
Prepare for the Audit
In order to prepare for the IT audit, you’ll need to hammer out your objectives and the scope of the audit. You’ll also need to decide how it will be documented and come up with a detailed schedule.
A checklist is useful, but it’s not enough for an audit. You need to get a thorough understanding of your system’s vulnerabilities.
You need to make sure that you’ve installed anti-virus software and network firewalls on all of your machines. All passwords and communications should be encrypted.
Conduct the Audit
You’ll need to look into your current user processes and control structure. If you don’t have dedicated strategic points and controls, then hackers could find ways to get into your network via software and apps.
Pay attention to applications and systems and make sure that all of the users are verified. Test the IT system and make sure that it’s safe at each access point.
Systems, apps, and machines need to be tested to make sure that they’re reliable and efficient. Point out any part of the system that isn’t up to your standards.
Report Your Findings
Once the audit is done, you’ll have a large file to go over. Condense all of this information into an organized audit report. You can use this file as a reference point for future audits.
Make individual reports for the executives of each department. Go over what works and what needs to be improved upon.
You’ll need to explain what the next steps are going to be so that you can correct the identified vulnerabilities.
As your company expands, you can utilize Citrix managed services to better maintain your IT systems.
Conduct a Thorough IT Audit With Confidence
As we can see, a lot of work goes into conducting a thorough IT audit. But by being prepared and knowing what to look for, you can effectively audit and improve your IT systems.
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