IT Auditing Solutions

On March 5th, I sent an email to Debasish Deb - INFOSEC GURU ( Youtube ) asking if he'd share his ITGC controls framework. He said yes, without hesitation. That single act of generosity started something I didn't fully anticipate. Since then, I've been quietly building. The spreadsheet became a structured audit tool. The audit tool got MITRE ATT&CK threat mappings and six compliance framework connections, NIST CSF, NIST 800-53, SOX ITGC, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, and COBIT, mapped simultaneously against every control. Then I added a dashboard, report exports, and real-time collaboration. Today, it's a full ITGC Auditor Workbench. The tool is now collaborative in real time. Here's what that means in practice: Your team opens the same audit from different locations. One auditor is assessing Access Controls in Lagos. Another is documenting findings on Vendor Management in London. A third is reviewing the Change Management checklist remotely. Every update, status changes, findings, evidence links, checklist completions, saves automatically to a shared cloud database and syncs to every open session within seconds. No version conflicts. No emailing spreadsheets back and forth. No "who has the latest copy?" A banner appears when a colleague updates a control you're viewing. You see their name. You see the time. You keep working. Access is protected by Google Sign-In with an approved email allow-list, so only your audit team gets in. The full feature set: → 21 IT General Controls, each mapped to NIST CSF, NIST 800-53, SOX §404, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, and COBIT simultaneously → MITRE ATT&CK technique cards per control, real adversary technique IDs, tactics, and descriptions, not generic risk labels → Per-control evidence links (Google Drive, SharePoint, OneDrive, any URL) → Real-time multi-user sync via Firebase, changes appear live for all team members → Google Sign-In with email allowlist, access control for your audit team → Executive dashboard with compliance coverage bars, status distribution, and findings summary → Report export in CSV, Word-ready HTML, and print-to-PDF → Named audit sessions, run multiple engagements, each with its own data → Runs as a single HTML file, no subscription, no installation, no vendor lock-in This was built specifically with SMEs in mind. Large enterprises have GRC platforms that cost six figures a year. Smaller organizations doing serious audit work shouldn't have to choose between rigor and affordability. To Debasish, what you shared on March 5th became this. Thank you. The public demo( NOT THE FULL VERSION) is live at my GitHub portfolio: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eSJvbdpD If you're an audit professional, GRC practitioner, or IT risk lead and want access to the collaborative version, drop a comment or send me a message. #ITAudit #ITGC #GRC #CyberSecurity #InternalAudit #SOX #NIST #ISO27001 #COBIT #MITREATTnCK #RiskManagement #InfoSec #OpenSource #AuditTools

🧾 ISACA releases the new IT Audit Framework 🔍🌐 ISACA has published the 5th Edition of the IT Audit Framework, a major refresh that aligns #ITaudit with how technology (and #risk) actually look today: cloud ecosystems, AI/ML, automation, third-party dependence, and rising expectations for digital trust.  ISACA also highlights that adherence to #ITAF is a requirement for #CISA certified professionals, which makes this update especially relevant for the global #audit community.  ✅ ITAF has always provided structure for planning, performing and reporting IT audit work. What changed is the environment: ➡️ IT is no longer a closed perimeter, it’s a digital ecosystem across cloud/SaaS/APIs/third parties. ➡️ Audit teams are expected to deliver faster insights, use analytics, and operate closer to the business. ➡️ Emerging tech introduces new risk patterns that don’t fit “traditional control checklists.” ITAF 5 is a response to that reality, modernizing terminology, scope, and practical guidance. #ISACA summarizes key updates in four themes: ✅ Modernized content and scope ITAF 5 updates definitions and examples to reflect modern technologies like #cloudcomputing, #AI / #ML, and business automation, moving beyond the older “traditional IT controls” focus. ✅ Digital trust and emerging technology integration Digital trust concepts are woven through the audit lifecycle, and the framework adds guidance for AI/ML auditing, aligned with ISACA’s broader AI audit resources. ✅ More practical and usable for organizations of all sizes ISACA explicitly calls out improved clarity, more practical language, and better usability. ✅ Broader audit practices and governance expectations The scope expands to include data analytics, agile auditing, continuous assurance, and #AIgovernance, plus stronger expectations around transparency and oversight of automated systems. 📘What’s inside ITAF 5 keeps a clear structure: Standards (mandatory), Guidelines (recommended), and Tools & Techniques, with Standards grouped into: ➡️ General Standards (1000 series): ethics, independence, objectivity, due care, proficiency, criteria, assertions ➡️ Performance Standards (1200 series): planning, risk assessment, evidence, supervision, use of experts, irregularities ➡️Reporting Standards (1400 series): reporting and follow-up 🎯Companion guidance Alongside ITAF 5, ISACA also updated companion guidance, including Performance Guidelines 2208: Information Technology Audit Sampling.  This is very practical in 2026 reality: massive logs, cloud events, identity records, CI/CD pipelines, and a constant push toward data-driven assurance. The guidance explicitly discusses statistical, nonstatistical, data-driven (analytics-enabled) and hybrid sampling approaches, and even addresses when sampling is inappropriate.  #cybersecurity #riskmanagement #ITGRC #TheSOC2 #ITGRCAdvisory #BWAdvisory #AkademiaITGRC CyberMadeInPoland Cyber London Jan Anisimowicz, PMP, CISM, CRISC, ESG

Dear Auditor, You carefully review the Fixed Asset Register but when last did you review the IT Asset Inventory? An IT Asset Inventory is the living, breathing record of all hardware, software, and virtual assets your organization owns, uses, or connects to its network. It tracks location, configuration, user, OS, patch status, and software of your IT Assets. If done right, it’s not just a spreadsheet, it is your master key to visibility and control. You must care about the IT Asset Inventory because, you cannot secure what you don’t know exists, incomplete inventories make patch management, license compliance, and decommissioning a mess. Missing assets = unmanaged risks = potential breach entry points. How to review an IT Asset Inventory effectively: ✅ Completeness check – Compare asset database against network discovery scans, AD, MDM, and procurement records. ✅ Accuracy check – Verify asset details (serial numbers, OS version, location, owner) match reality. ✅ Ownership & responsibility – Ensure every asset has an assigned custodian. ✅ Lifecycle tracking – Confirm onboarding and decommissioning processes are enforced. ✅ Orphaned devices – Hunt for “ghost” devices and remove or secure them. ✅ Software inventory – Cross-check against licenses, patch levels, and approved software lists. A clean Fixed Asset Register may impress the CFO, but Cyber attackers don’t care about depreciation schedules, they care about unpatched, forgotten devices and missing assets which are blind spots where they hide. Go review your IT Asset Inventory today 😊 #ITAssetInventory #FixedAssetRegister #InternalAudit #RiskManagement #ITAudit #ITGovernance

Dear Business & IT Audit Leaders, Cloud environments are not inherently secure. They are only as resilient as the questions we ask. As a cybersecurity audit leader, I don’t begin any cloud assessment without interrogating the architecture through 8 critical dimensions. These aren’t just technical checks, they’re strategic filters that reveal business risk, regulatory exposure, and operational blind spots. Whether you're migrating, auditing, or optimizing your cloud stack, these questions reveal the real posture of your environment. They cut through vendor promises and dashboards to expose what matters: risk, resilience, and regulatory readiness. Here’s the framework I use to guide CISOs, CTOs, and audit teams: 📌 Business Purpose & Data Sensitivity Every cloud asset must be mapped to its business function and data classification. If you don’t understand the value and risk of what’s hosted, you’re auditing in the dark. 📌 Cloud Service Model & Deployment Type IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and Public, Private, Hybrid, each shift the shared responsibility model. Misidentifying this leads to control gaps and audit failures. 📌 Identity, Access & Privileged Account Management IAM policies, MFA enforcement, and least privilege aren’t optional, they’re the backbone of cloud security. I assess not just design, but operational discipline. 📌 Encryption at Rest & In Transit I validate cryptographic standards, key lifecycle management, and segregation of duties. Weak encryption is a silent breach waiting to happen. 📌 Network & Perimeter Defense Firewalls, segmentation, and intrusion prevention must be tested for effectiveness, not just existence. I look for real-world resilience, not checkbox compliance. 📌 Vulnerability Management & Threat Detection Scanning cadence, patch velocity, and incident response maturity determine whether threats are contained or compounded. I benchmark against threat intelligence and business risk. 📌 Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Validation RTO/RPO metrics are meaningless without tested recovery capabilities. I simulate failure scenarios to assess readiness under pressure. 📌 Regulatory Compliance & Governance Frameworks From HIPAA to NIST to ISO 27001, I verify not just policy alignment but operational execution. Governance must be embedded, not just documented. These 8 dimensions form the backbone of my cloud audit methodology. They help organizations move from reactive security to proactive resilience. If you're leading cloud transformation, audit readiness, or cybersecurity strategy, this is where your assessment should begin. Let’s discuss: Which of these questions do you think is most overlooked in your organization? #CloudSecurity #CyberAudit #ITAudit #AIaudit #RiskManagement #CloudSecurityRisk #CyVerge #CloudSecurityAudit #Cyberverge #Governance #CloudResilience #CloudGovernance

Outsourcing IT operations doesn’t outsource accountability. Most provider contracts look great on paper. They promise: * 24x7 escalation within 15 minutes * Dual-factor checks for password resets * No unapproved production changes But when we test those controls in the real world, the story is very different. Passwords get reset without verification. Escalations slip overnight. Admins push changes outside the window. System administrators use frightfully bad operational practices. That gap between contractual assurance and operational reality is exactly what our IT Operations Security Audit is designed to uncover. In just six weeks, it: 1. Validates what your vendors actually do vs. what’s in the SLA 2. Quantifies your liability exposure before an incident does it for you 3. Delivers a board-ready roadmap to close the gaps in 90 days Question for CISOs and CFOs: when was the last time you validated your outsourced IT providers against your controls, not theirs?

IT internal audit controls: 1. Access Controls: Control: Implement measures to ensure only authorized personnel have access to systems and data. Audit Point: Review user access logs, permissions settings, and authentication mechanisms. Check for instances of unauthorized or inappropriate access. 2. Change Management: Control: All changes to IT systems, especially production environments, should follow a formal change management process. Audit Point: Examine documentation related to system changes. Ensure approvals were obtained and testing was performed before deployment. 3. Backup and Recovery: Control: Regular backups of critical data and systems should be performed. Recovery processes should also be established. Audit Point: Validate the frequency and success rate of backups. Test the recovery process for effectiveness. 4. Network Security: Control: Secure the organization's network through firewalls,intrusion detection systems, and regular vulnerability assessments. Audit Point: Review network security logs and assess the efficacy of security devices. 5. Physical Security: Control: Implement security measures to prevent unauthorized physical access to critical IT infrastructure (e.g., data centers). Audit Point: Inspect physical access logs and security measures in place at data centers and server rooms. 6. Data Encryption: Control: Ensure that sersitive data, especially during transmission, is encrypted. Audit Point: Check encryption standards employed and assess their adequacy based on the sensitivity of the data. 7. Incident Management: Control: Establish a process for identifying, responding to,and reporting security incidents. Audit Point: Review incident logs and assess the organization's response to past incidents. 8. Vendor Management: Control: Vendors with access to the organization's IT systems should adhere to the same security standards. Audit Point: Examine contracts and agreements with vendors. Check for clauses related to IT security and assess vendor compliance. 9. Application Controls: Control: Controls within specific applications to ensure the integrity and accuracy of transactions and data. Audit Point: Test critical transaction flows within applications for any anomalies. 10. Patching and Up-dates: Control: Regularly update and patch IT systems to protect against known vulnerabilities. Audit Point: Review the patch management process. Check for outdated systems. 11. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity: Control: Develop and maintain a disaster recovery plan. Ensure business continuity even in the face of major IT disruptions. Audit Point: Evaluate the disaster recovery plan's comprehensiveness. Conduct or review results from periodic disaster recovery drills. 12. User Training and Awareness: Control: Regularly train users on IT security best practices and raise awareness about potential threats. Audit Point: Assess the frequency and content of training programs. Check for user awareness and adherence.

🚨 IT SOX Audit Season Is Coming 🚨 Preparing for an external IT SOX audit doesn’t have to feel like chaos. With the right structure, you can transform it into a predictable, well-run process that strengthens your controls and reduces surprises. Here’s a framework I recommend for CISOs, CIOs, CFOs, and Audit leaders getting ready for fieldwork: 1️⃣ Align Scope & Governance – lock the scope memo, RACI, and secure evidence room 2️⃣ Master Plan – publish the audit calendar & freeze windows 3️⃣ Systems & IPE – confirm in-scope apps, reports, and validation methods 4️⃣ Third Parties – collect SOC 1/2 reports, bridge letters, and map CUECs 5️⃣ Control Design – walkthroughs & COSO/COBIT alignment before testing 6️⃣ IAM & Change Mgmt – ensure UARs, JML, SOD, and approvals are audit-ready 7️⃣ Operations & Logging – evidence backups, monitoring, SIEM alerts 8️⃣ Evidence Strategy – structured PBC waves with “one-voice” policy 9️⃣ Pre-Testing & Mock Audit – find issues before auditors do 🔟 Day-1 Logistics – kickoff pack, office hours, and real-time tracking 💡 Pro tip: Treat each cycle as a maturity sprint, not just a compliance chore. Question for you: What’s your biggest pain point during IT SOX audit prep—scope changes, evidence gathering, or access reviews? #SOX #ITAudit #Compliance #RiskManagement #CISO #CFO #InternalAudit #ITGC