IT Auditing Fundamentals for the GRC Analyst

Examine the three audit types—review, assessment, and compliance audits—and distinguish internal from external audits, while exploring policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines as network audit pillars.

Discover foundational principles for network security auditing, focusing on three control categories—biological, technical, and administrative—and the roles of preventive, corrective, and detective controls in risk assessment and security planning.

Define risk and explain risk assessment using quantitative and qualitative methods to gauge threats, vulnerabilities, and impact. Apply risk management strategies to classify findings and support ongoing security issue resolution.

Balance likelihood and impact using qualitative heat maps and quantitative asset-based models, then apply risk strategies: avoid, accept, transfer, or mitigate, with residual risk considerations for audits.

Explore industry standards and governance frameworks, the auditor’s role in assessing compliance, and how benchmarking guides risk identification, controls, and responses to data breaches.

Identify and explain the four main stages of the auditing process—from planning and fieldwork to data analysis and reporting—tying findings to standards and regulatory requirements.

Examine aspects of a network security audit, covering data gathering, reporting, scope, due diligence, due care, then identify critical assets, threats and vulnerabilities, and evidence to produce an audit report.

Auditors audit network security systematically using a checklist, cover design and architecture review, document findings with evidence, assess scope and risk, and translate results into management-ready recommendations.

Audit a third party vendor's network monitoring and management for a financial institution, applying a defined scope, plan, and checklists to verify compliance with ISO 27,001, policies, and documented evidence.

Learn to conduct a baseline AWS security audit by planning, gathering data, and analyzing security controls across governance, identity and access management, encryption, and monitoring, using checklists and best practices.

Explore how to conduct a compliance audit within an information security management framework (ISO 27001), examining regulatory guidelines, risk management, and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of assets.

Explores ISO 27001 audit fundamentals for GRC analysts, detailing risk assessment, scope, and controls, and guides on interviewing, documenting artifacts, and producing audit reports.

Plan next steps after this IT auditing fundamentals course by exploring certifications for a GRC analyst, including ISO certified information system audit and ISO 27,001 implementation auditor roles.