In the digital age, cybercrime is one of the major concerns for businesses, big and small. As a business owner, it is important to understand the importance of cybersecurity and ensure that your company is taking the necessary steps to protect itself from cyberattacks. And nothing works better than performing a thorough cybersecurity audit. A cybersecurity audit is a comprehensive review of your company's cyber security posture and identifies areas where your organisation could be more vulnerable to attack. In this blog post, we will discuss what cybersecurity audits are, why you need them, and some best practices for performing them.
What is Cybersecurity Audit?
A cybersecurity audit refers to an evaluating process where the security of an organisation is safeguarded against any potential cyber-attack. It helps identify the shortcomings that need fixing before any event of network compromise or hacking attempt owing to cyber attacks instigated by cybercriminals. The reason why businesses need cybersecurity audit services is that it helps them assess as well as improve their cybersecurity defences.
Why do You Need Cybersecurity Audit Services?
There are many reasons why you might need cybersecurity audit services. Perhaps you are concerned about a recent data breach at another company and want to ensure that your own organisation is not at risk. Maybe you are in the process of implementing new cyber security measures and want to verify that they are effective. Or, it could be that you simply want to ensure that your cyber security defences are up to par. Regardless of the reason, cyber security audits can be extremely beneficial in helping businesses protect themselves from cybercrime.
How to Find that You Need Cybersecurity Audit Services?
Every business is different and has its unique cyber security requirements. However, there are some general guidelines that can help you determine if cyber security audit services are right for your organisation.
- If you store sensitive data: If your company stores sensitive data, such as customer credit card information or health records, then you should definitely consider cyber security audit services.
- If you are subject to regulatory requirements: If your business is subject to regulatory requirements, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), then you may be required to perform periodic cyber security audits.
- If you have experienced a data breach: If your company has experienced a data breach, then cyber security audit services can help you determine how the breach occurred and what steps need to be taken to prevent it from happening again.
Features of Cybersecurity Audit
Some features of cyber security audit services include:
- An extensive review of the cyber security posture of your company
- Identification of areas where your organisation could be more vulnerable to attack
- Assessment of your company's cyber security defences
- Recommendations for improvement
5 Benefits of Cybersecurity Audit
There are many benefits to cyber security audits, including:
- Improved cyber security posture
- Greater peace of mind
- Better protection against cybercrime
- Enhanced reputation
- Increased customer confidence
Types of Cybersecurity Audit
There are two main types of cyber security audits: internal and external:
Internal Cybersecurity Audit:
An internal cyber security audit is conducted by your company's own cyber security team. This type of audit is typically used to assess the effectiveness of your company's cyber security defences and identify any areas where improvements can be made.
External Cybersecurity Audit:
An external cyber security audit is performed to examine a company’s IT security measures by a third party. This type of audit is often used to verify the findings of an internal cyber security audit or to provide an objective assessment of your company's cyber security posture.
5 Subsets of Cybersecurity
There are five subsets of cyber security: network security, application security, penetrations testing, data governance, and compliance.
Network Security:
Network security is a type of cybersecurity used for the protection of information and computer network from unauthorised access or theft. The process of network security protects as well as controls the resources and data shared and used by networks, computers, and organisations. It provides protection to information against unauthorized access and modifications, and it often uses encryption to protect messages from unauthorized parties.
Application Security:
Application security ensures the secure and protected development, deployment, and operation of the software from potential threats that may hinder its confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This includes things like application whitelisting and vulnerability management.
Penetrations Testing:
Penetration testing, also known as pen testing, is a type of security test that is used to assess the vulnerabilities of a system. It involves simulating real-world cyber-attacks to determine if and how they can be exploited.
Data Governance:
Data governance is referred to a combination of roles, procedures, policies, standards, and metrics that ensure that information is being used effectively and efficiently in enabling an organisation to achieve its targets. This includes things like data classification, data handling, and data retention.
Compliance:
Compliance refers to the measures taken to ensure that your company meets all applicable cyber security regulations. This includes things like cyber security audits and training.
Conclusion
Cyber security audit services can help you improve your cyber security posture, protect your data, and meet compliance requirements. If you store sensitive data or are subject to regulatory requirements, then you should definitely consider cyber security audit services.