What is an IT auditor?

        A vital role for risk assessment.

What is an IT auditor?

An IT auditor is responsible for analyzing and evaluating a company's technology infrastructure to ensure that processes and systems operate accurately and efficiently, while remaining secure and compliant with compliance regulations. An IT auditor also identifies any IT issues that are under audit, specifically those related to security and risk management. If problems are identified, IT auditors are responsible for communicating their findings to others in the organization and offering solutions to improve or change processes and systems to ensure security and compliance.

The role of the IT auditor

The role of an IT auditor involves developing, implementing, testing, and evaluating audit review procedures. You will be responsible for conducting IT- and IT-related audit projects using the IT audit standard established in your organization. The audit process can be extended to networks, software, programs, communication systems, security systems and any other service that depends on the company's technological infrastructure.

It's an essential role for organizations that rely on technology, given that a small technical error or misstep can affect the entire enterprise. IT audits are important for evaluating internal processes and controls in an effort to keep the organization and its data safe from external or internal threats.

IT Audit Responsibilities

As an IT auditor, you will be responsible for running several audits of an organization's technologies and processes. IT audits are also known as automated data processing (ADP) audits and computer audits. In the past, IT audits have also been labeled as electronic data processing (EDP) audits. Companies can also perform an information security (IS) audit to assess the organization's security processes and risk management. The IT audit process is typically used to assess the integrity, security, development, and IT governance of data.

There are several types of IT audits, including...

Technological innovation process: an audit process that creates a risk profile for current and future projects with a focus on the company's experience with those technologies and its position in the market. Innovative comparison audit: An audit that analyzes an organization's ability to innovate compared to the competition and assesses how well the company produces new products. Technology position audit: An audit that examines current technology in the organization and future technologies that will need to be adopted. Systems and applications: An audit process that specifically assesses whether systems and applications are controlled, reliable, efficient, secure, and effective. Information processing facilities: An audit to assess an organization's ability to produce applications even under disruptive conditions. Systems development: An audit to verify that the systems being developed are appropriate for the organization and meet development standards. IT Management and Enterprise Architecture: An audit of the organizational structure of IT management for information processing Client, server, telecommunications, intranets and extranets: audits to examine controls on networks and servers connected to the client.

IT Auditor Skills

The skills you need as an IT auditor will vary depending on your specific role and industry, but there is an overall set of skills that all IT auditors need to succeed. Some of the most commonly sought after skills by IT auditor candidates include:

• Security and IT infrastructure
• Internal audit
• IT Risk
• Data analysis
• Data visualization and analysis tools (ACL, MS Excel, SAS, Tableau)
• Security Risk Management
• Security audits and tests
• Computer security
• Internal audit standards including SOX, MAR, COSO and COBIT
• Analytical and critical thinking skills
• Communication skills

IT Auditor Job Requirements

Entry-level IT auditor positions require at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, management information systems, accounting, or finance. You'll want to have a strong background in IT or IS and experience in public accounting or internal auditing. The job requires a solid set of technical skills, with a strong emphasis on safety skills, but you'll also need soft skills like communication. You will be responsible not only for identifying problems during an IT audit, but also for explaining to leaders outside of IT what is wrong and what needs to change. Analytical and critical thinking skills are also crucial, as you'll need to evaluate data to find trends and patterns to identify IT infrastructure and security issues.

IT Auditor Certifications

If you want to become certified as an IT auditor, Robert Half Technology points out two specific certifications that are useful for IT auditors. These include:

• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA): CISA certification is offered through ISACA and is designed specifically for IS professionals and IT auditors. Before you can earn your CISA certification, you'll need at least five years of professional experience in the field.
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM): The CISM certification is designed for information security managers and focuses on designing, building, and maintaining IS programs. To earn your CISM certification, you'll need at least five years of IS experience and three years as a security manager.