1.

2. INTRODUCTION

The board of directors and management are responsible for ensuring adequate management practices are in place for effective oversight and management of the institutions IT environment. All institutions should adopt an effective audit and review program regardless of whether the technology services are provided internally or externally.

3. Examination Objectives

Board Direction and Oversight Evaluate the boards involvement in establishing IT audit scope and reporting requirements and ensuring the availability of competent IT audit resources.

Audit Program Assess the quality and effectiveness of the IT audit program

4. Examination Procedures

Examination activities should be based on the criticality and complexity of the business functions .

examination should begin with a review of audit results and the adequacy of corrective actions .

TheEssential Practicesfor IT Audit should be clearly documented and functioning within the internal control environment.

5. Essential Practices

1. Risk Assessment :A risk assessment provides the internal auditor and the board with objective information to prioritize the allocation of audit resources properly.

Industry Standard Reference :COBIT: Control Objectives for Information and related Technology. 4.1 ed. 2000, PO9.

6. Essential Practices

2. Audit Plan :

The IT audit plan defines the IT scope, objectives and strategies. It establishes a balance between scope, timeframes, and staff days to ensure optimum use of resources.

3.Audit Resources :

Ensure audit resources are independent, competent, and have the necessary experience to accomplish the IT audit objectives.

7. Essential Practices

Reporting : Reports communicate audit findings to the board. They also assist management in evaluating the quality of its IT department and identifying methods for correcting or improving adverse conditions.

8. IT-Audit Methodologies

CobiT

BS 7799 - Code of Practice (CoP)

BSI - IT Baseline Protection Manual

ITSEC

Common Criteria (CC)

9. CobiT

Governance, Control & Audit for IT

Developed by ISACA

Releases

• CobiT 1: 1996

• • 32 Processes

• • 271 Control Objectives

• CobiT 2: 1998

• • 34 Processes

• • 302 Control Objectives

10. CobiT - Framework 11. CobiT - IT Process Matrix

Information Criteria

• Effectiveness

• Efficiency

• Confidentiality

• Integrity

• Availability

• Compliance

• Reliability

IT Resources

• People

• Applications

• Technology

• Facilities

• Data

IT Processes 12. CobiT - Summary

Mainly used for IT audits, incl. security aspects

No detailed evaluation methodology described

Developed by international organisation (ISACA)

Up-to-date: Version 2 released in 1998

Only high-level control objectives described

Detailed IT control measures are not documented

Not very user friendly - learning curve!

Evaluation results not shown ingraphic form

13. CobiT - Summary

May be used for self assessments

Useful aid in implementing IT control systems

No suitable basis to write security handbooks

CobiT package from ISACA:$ 100.--

3 parts freely downloadable from ISACA site

Software available from Methodware Ltd., NZ(www.methodware.co.nz)

• CobiT Advisor 2nd edition: US$ 600.--