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How Would an IT Audit Benefit Your Business?

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2 February 2021

The digitised world has brought with it ever-evolving cyber crimes and threats.

As cyber crimes become more sophisticated in their approach, vigilant monitoring of your existing IT environment becomes crucial.

Through an IT audit for business, you can routinely check the efficiency and security of your business’ IT infrastructure and work on resolving and improving discrepancies. 

In this article, we’ll learn more about IT audit for businesses and their benefits. If an IT audit is not already a part of your business’ cyber security plan, consider implementing one to ensure maximum safety and security of your company, or speak to the experts at Redpalm to get the ball rolling.

What is an IT Audit? 

An IT audit for business is an official analysis and evaluation of your company’s existing IT infrastructure. These audits involve an evaluation of your organisation’s online systems and networks, and an efficiency and functioning assessment of all IT related operations of your business.

When conducting these audits for clients, Redpalm suggests improvements for your existing IT frameworks to enhance the security of your business. By conducting regular audits you ensure you’re always on your A-game in terms of technological advancement and proficiency, while also improving your cyber security.

Since IT audit for small businesses are comprehensive, they cover three main aspects of your IT environment:

  • Performance – To ensure maximum efficiency and smooth operation of your business’ systems and applications.
  • Compliance – To check adherence to the company’s existing policies, protocols and legal requirements.
  • Management – To maintain proper management and control of the systems and networks of your IT infrastructure.

IT audits are essential for every business to not only assess the regulation of the existing systems but also identify potential risks and vulnerabilities. Through this, companies can develop a robust solution to tackle the vulnerabilities existing in their business network. 

This makes business IT audit for businesses crucial in safeguarding your existing data and systems.

How Does an IT Audit Benefit My Business?

An IT audit need not necessarily be a stressful task as it aims to improve the IT security for business and the efficiency of your workplace. By monitoring networks and systems to identify areas that could be potentially harmed, your business can work on rebuilding those areas to strengthen them.

With this in mind, IT audits conducted by managed IT Service Providers, have various benefits that improve the operation of your business to increase efficiency and workplace productivity.

Let’s take a look.

1. Identify Problem Areas In Your IT Infrastructure

Audits utilise deep analysis to evaluate the existing systems of your business. Through an in-depth search, weak structures in the IT framework of your business can be identified easily.

Since the IT infrastructure covers all areas of your business’ online systems, cloud and stored data, an extensive evaluation needs to be done to ensure all areas are resistant to any digital harm or threat. 

By conducting an IT audit for businesses, vulnerabilities in IT environments can be recognised after which you can work on improving them to develop a stronger system.

At Redpalm, our Cyber Risk Score allows you to better understand the overall security of your IT system. To find out more, contact us here.

2. Reduce Risks And Potential Threats

After identifying problem areas through a thorough assessment of your business’ online systems and networks, improving them becomes crucial to minimise any risks or threats.

Your IT department can then begin working on any issues relating to efficiency, effectiveness and security that arise, by eliminating, adjusting and reducing the potential risks.

Without conducting an IT audit, your business may not recognise potential risks existing in your IT environment until it’s too late. This could potentially lead to huge losses for the company, either monetarily or operationally.

3. Enhance Data Security

Through IT audits, enhancing data security becomes possible as it upholds the confidentiality and integrity of your business’ data. This guarantees the security of any sensitive information.

Your business is offered the opportunity to rethink or improve ineffective policies and controls that safeguard your company’s system and networks. This in turn improves the security of your data and ensures maximum protection against threats.

Additionally, improved and sophisticated technologies and policies can be introduced to the existing system to eliminate further internal and external threats quickly.

4. Improve Communication Within Your Organisation

After the completion of an IT audit, communication between the business and the IT department can be greatly improved. In this audit, both areas are required to work together and liaise immediately to improve the existing systems.

The IT auditor’s report facilitates interaction among different departments and employees, leading to better trust and accountability between departments.

Moreover, since an IT audit is an oversight of the business’ technologies that support the organisation’s operations and functions, conducting an audit becomes beneficial for your business’ operations and productivity. 

5. Reinforce Better Control

Your audit not only highlights the vulnerabilities and risks in your IT systems but also reinforces the controls. This means that by improving poorly designed systems that exist in your IT environment, you can establish stronger control over your systems and data.

By strengthening the weaker areas of your systems and operations, IT auditors test the efficiency and reliability of the company’s workflow along with its adherence to the rules and policies. This helps the business bolster control over its IT frameworks.

Additionally, IT auditors run tests to undo any unwanted modifications and to test the effectiveness of your improved system. The compliance requirements of your IT systems and networks can also be checked during the assessment. 

6. Ensure the Integrity of Data

Through IT audits, you can ensure that your organisational database is accurate, reliable and up to date. In this way, an IT audit for small businesses supports business decisions and regulation compliance. 

7. Compliance and Regulations

Many industries have certain laws and regulations that govern their IT systems and data management. 

An IT audit for businesses helps maintain compliance with important laws and regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the UK’s Cyber Essentials scheme.

With IT audits, your organisation can stay compliant with such requirements and prevent any legal actions. 

8. Align IT With Business Goals and Objectives

IT audits help you align your IT system and practices with your business objectives. Once your IT audit is complete, you’ll receive a comprehensive report explaining auditor findings, recommendations, and suggestions. This allows you to accelerate the process to achieve your strategic goals. 

Call Redpalm for Expert IT Support and Solutions

Monitoring IT-related systems for inefficiencies should be a priority for every business.

An IT audit can improve the overall efficiency and IT security for businesses. IT audits for your business provide benefits that improve your organisation’s systems and functions by evaluating and improving poorly designed areas and strengthening security measures. 

At Redpalm, we have different solutions to suit your IT support needs. From incident response to proactive monitoring, identity and access management, vulnerability assessments, and more, we offer various IT services.

By relying on a professional IT partner like Redpalm, you have ensured a proven track record and effective results, meaning you receive great technical assistance from us.

To find out more about our solutions, get in touch with us today!

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