The COVID-19 pandemic radically altered Dubai, UAE business models. According to Gartner's 2021 Gartner report, 41% of remote employees plan to work remotely in 2020. These changes in the worldwide workforce pose new security risks. Regular security audits can provide a clear picture of organizations in UAE cybersecurity risks and prepare you for security threats such as social engineering and phishing attacks. What is a security audit? Continue reading to find out about the most popular types of security audits and the steps to begin the process.
A security audit is an in-depth assessment of Dubai, UAE organization's information systems. This assessment measures your system's security against a checklist of industry best practices or federal regulations. An organization's security controls will be assessed in a comprehensive security audit.
Applications and software, as well as security patches that your system administrators have already applied. Network vulnerabilities include evaluations of information that travels between points within and outside your organization's network. The human dimension includes how employees store, share and collect sensitive information.
A security audit will give you a map of your organization's information security weaknesses. It will also identify areas where the organization meets the criteria it has set. Security audits are essential for developing risk assessments and mitigation strategies to protect sensitive or confidential data.
A cybersecurity audit will verify that your organization has adequate security for its networks, devices, and data. It can also help protect against data breaches, leaks, criminal interference, and other threats. Security audits are just one type of cybersecurity assessment strategy. The other two are vulnerability assessment and penetration testing, which involve real-time tests to determine the strength of data protection measures, malware, firewalls, and passwords.
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These steps will depend on the compliance strategy that your company uses, but there are some common elements:
Find out which external criteria you need or want to meet, and then use them to create your security features to test and analyze. If your IT team has cybersecurity concerns, keep track of the policies within your organization.
Human error is more likely if many people have access to sensitive data. Audit companies in UAE should keep track of who has access to sensitive data and who has been trained in cybersecurity risk management and compliance. Train those who are still in need of training.
Monitor network activity and logs. Logging will ensure that only authorized employees have access to restricted data and that they are following security procedures.
Your security audit should reveal your most obvious vulnerabilities before conducting a vulnerability assessment or penetration test. Regular security audits can make vulnerability assessments and penetration tests more efficient and productive.
After assessing the organization's vulnerabilities and ensuring that staff is trained and following the correct protocol, ensure that the organization has implemented internal controls to prevent fraud. For example, they are limiting access to sensitive information by users. Verify that wireless networks are secured, that encryption tools are current, and that anti-virus software is installed on all network devices.
Regular security audits are necessary for companies to ensure that they protect clients' private information and comply with federal regulations. This will help avoid liability and expensive fines. Companies must keep up to date with the ever-changing federal laws, such as SOX and HIPAA. Regular security audits are required to ensure that your organization meets all new requirements.
The criteria used to assess your organization's information system depend on how you conduct a security audit. An audit of security systems can involve both internal and external auditors. The steps you take will depend on the security compliance measures that your organization must comply with.
Various computer-assisted auditor techniques (CAATs) are available on the market to automate your audit process. CAATs automate the audit process by running through all steps, looking for vulnerabilities, and automatically preparing audit reports. A professional auditor or IT manager should review these reports.
The frequency of security audits depends on the size of your company and how frequently sensitive information is likely to be handled. The frequency of security audits is determined by the requirements of regulatory laws or standards that the organization has adopted.
While it is common to have security audits performed at least once a year, many companies opt for more frequent visits. A data breach can lead to serious business consequences, including liability, reputational damage, and criminal charges. Regular audits are the best way to prevent future problems.
At Audit firms in Dubai, we can help you keep track of computer-generated reports, security audit steps, and updates to external regulations. This will allow you to retain your expertise and energy to catch security threats that the untrained eye may overlook. Call us today for more information.
Umapathy Anuruthan, is a Senior Auditor at the firm, holds a Business Management Degree and carries with him an experience of 6+ Years, having worked in two of the Big 4 audit firms. He has a ‘hands-on’ understanding of external audits and financial reporting and is well-known for his approach to ensuring the highest quality and accuracy in audits for clients of numerous industries.