Whether staffed internally or hired on a contract-by-contract basis, IT auditors fulfill a vital role for organizations of all industries. IT auditors review the hardware, software, infrastructure, and operations of a business in order to ensure that they best suit the organization’s current technology needs. Through reliable and consistent auditing, companies can be assured that their technology is performing as it should, that security standards are being met, and that they are prepared for the future.
The Requirements of an IT Auditor
An IT auditor generally has three to five years of experience within the Information Technology industry. They are considered to be specialists within their field. Most IT auditors will have a Bachelor’s of Science degree in a computer-related field, but this isn’t always necessary of it is replaced with additional work experience. IT Auditors will almost universally require some form of professional certification. Professional certifications, such as the Certified Information Systems Auditor certification, are designed to both show that the IT auditor has strengths within technology and show that they have remained current on those technologies.
The Employment of an IT Auditor
Most IT auditors will work on a contract basis. Many organizations will hire external auditors to ensure that their internal IT team is handling their operations correctly. These auditors will come in, examine the IT infrastructure, make recommendations, and then leave. Often, the company will develop a relationship with an auditor, and these consultants will be utilized every year.
Not all IT auditors are contractors, however. Larger enterprises keep IT auditors on staff. When on staff, IT auditors will be constantly reviewing the system and looking for room for improvement. IT auditors can be hired by large enterprises of all industries: federal companies, medical companies, and legal companies. IT auditors may also be used to ensure that the company is meeting regulatory standards and all issues of compliance.
The Responsibilities of an IT Auditor
IT auditors are typically concerned with issues of infrastructure, protocol, and security. An IT auditor will find themselves examining:
- The organization’s internal security controls and whether or not the organization is properly following its security strategies. The IT auditor will go over the company’s current hardware and software to ensure that the company is not at risk for known exploits. IT auditors will also create strategies to move organizations to preferred methods of security. As an example, an IT auditor might be responsible for initiating a two-factor security authentication system.
- The organization’s hardware and software upgrades. IT auditors will need to assess the organization’s current and future needs to create an educated opinion regarding the hardware and software that the organization needs. The IT auditor will then need to control the transition to this new technology.
- The organization’s regulatory compliance. IT auditors are increasingly called upon to assess issues of regulatory compliance, as pertains to the technology itself. This can include issues such as medical access issues, through which documents need to be kept private and confidential even digitally.
IT auditors tend to be highly paid, highly accomplished professionals with a significant amount of knowledge within the IT industry. As IT auditors often work alone, they need to be capable of self-motivating. IT auditors also need to have excellent communication skills. If you’re interested in a job in the IT industry, you can get started now by looking at the job listings at Software Specialists.
