How to Top Your First Cyber security Audit

 Cyber Security Risks

There are many cyber security risks your organization faces daily in this day and age. These include cleverly disguised phishing attacks, sophisticated malware and hard-to-detect insider threats that can cause significant problems for an enterprise if not appropriately handled with timely preventive measures. You don't want to let a weakness in your defenses remain, as it can potentially have disastrous consequences. It will jeopardize all of the hard work and irreparably damage any reputation that may be left behind for future endeavors with clients or employers alike. 

Cybersecurity audits are the best way to keep your customers and partners safe. They reassure their personal information will be protected, which is essential for any company looking after sensitive data. The anxiety of going through a cybersecurity audit can be massive, and it's best to prepare ahead of time, so you don't feel too overwhelmed.

A big part of preparing for the first one is knowing what questions will come up, which we'll cover next.

What Is a Cybersecurity Audit?

A cybersecurity audit is one of the best ways to ensure your organization's information security. The review and analysis conducted by an expert will show you any vulnerabilities following industry standards, making it easier for them to fix those issues before they become problems. An audit will look at every part of how you use technology, including cybersecurity architecture and general readiness for attacks on both physical devices and web applications. Cybersecurity audits verify the effectiveness of your policies and procedures by testing them against common cybersecurity threats. The cybersecurity audit is a must for any organization looking to demonstrate compliance with PCI DSS, HIPAA or even CMMC.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a new law that will impose steep penalties for your organization's cyber security breaches. To avoid these harsh fines, it might be best if you do some self-auditing or hire an outside professional who specializes in audits at least once per year so they can check up on how well things have been progressing from their perspective too. 

5 Steps to Top Your First Cybersecurity Audit

Here are the key steps to take when undergoing your first cybersecurity audit.

1. Review Your Current Policies and Procedures

To ensure that the auditor's job is made as easy as possible, it will be necessary for you to review and document your current policies ahead of time. Having an in-depth knowledge of your company's policies and procedures is essential for any auditor. That way, they can spend valuable time focusing on what matters - analyzing how well you're executing those aspects daily with precision. There are many ways that the policies and procedures you have in place can be improved, so don't feel like your efforts were wasted when reviewing them.

It's never too late to prepare for the future. With so many companies experiencing a shortage in cybersecurity policies, now is your time! If you're looking at updating or creating new rules around remote work activities - don't wait any longer because it will be too late soon enough if we leave this task undone. 

2. Create an Accurate IT Inventory

It's impossible to protect your IT assets effectively if you don't even know about them, which is equally valid for undergoing cybersecurity audits. Inventorying your IT assets is a must. It includes networking equipment such as servers, routers and switches; hardware devices used by employees like smartphones or tablets; software applications running on them - everything needs to be recorded to help with disaster recovery planning. 

Creating an accurate IT inventory can be difficult, but there are ways around it. For example, if you ask employees only to bring their own devices to work. Network asset management and inventory software tools make the task easier.

3. Perform a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment

Organizations today face more cybersecurity risks than ever before. The purpose of a security assessment is to identify, analyze and evaluate these potential dangers so you can determine whether your organization's current protection measures will keep it safe from harm or not. 

The most common risks include careless employees using weak passwords or storing them unsafely, insiders maliciously abusing their privileges, physical theft (such as by criminals who break into offices), and malware targeting your system files. Phishing attacks- all of which can lead to data loss.

To ensure that you are prepared for the risks identified in this assessment, it is crucial first to determine how likely they will be and if there's any potential impact on your organization. Next, adjust controls accordingly, so these hazards don't cause damage!

4. Have an Incident Response Plan

Comprehensive cybersecurity audits aren't just interested in your defenses; they also look at how quickly you can respond when a breach occurs. An incident response plan is vital to quickly recovering from any computer or network attack. The roles and responsibilities specified in the document will help you take care of business while staying safe, with contact information available. 

The California Consumer Protection Act requiring businesses to have comprehensive incident response plans was signed by Jerry Brown, Governor of California, on June 28th, 2018.

5. Hire Outside Help

Hiring a cybersecurity expert is an excellent way to ensure that you are meeting all of the regulations and standards in place. It would help if you did not risk spreading yourself too thin by simultaneously focusing on other areas while waiting for this audit. It could lead back down another path entirely if done incorrectly or neglectfully. Instead of doing everything yourself, consider partnering with trusted managed IT services for small businesses. You can focus on what's most essential and protected: your assets! They know how to protect information from best-in-class cybersecurity tools.

ITsguru's mission is to provide the best managed IT services for small and medium-sized organizations. Cybersecurity is a top priority for an organization. We have the knowledge and expertise to protect your business from cybersecurity risks, including that related regulatory landscape in which you operate! For most companies, an audit is the first step in ensuring their financials are up-to-date and accurate. So don't hesitate to schedule a free consultation with us if you need any guidance on how to handle this vital process best!