IT Audit and Controls

IT Audit and
Controls

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................3
Identify the audit focus and scope..........................................................................................3
High risk IT issues in the NSW city councils........................................................................3
Audit findings related to IT governance in the NSW city councils.......................................5
Audit findings related to IT general controls in the NSW city councils................................7
Audit findings related to cyber security management in the NSW city councils..................8
Discussion on professional, legal and ethical responsibilities of IT auditor..........................9
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
The audit analysis is considered as an effective approach which involves the
organization’s system reports. This is an important approach for the purpose of analysing the
ethical and the legal value which is maintained by the business organization. On the other
side, it can be easily determined that analysing the report of a business organization is very
much beneficial as it highlights what are the key requirement the company is have followed
and maintained while other requirements that the company ahs breached. This report is in
context to the IT audit report of conducted by the office of NSW Auditor General. This report
highlights the audit focus and scope, issues faced, finding based on the IT governance and
general controls.
Identify the audit focus and scope
The main areas of focus are on cyber security with the help of performance,
compliance and other audits like financial audit of the local government sectors. The scope of
this report is limited to the determining the strength of the local government council in
information technology along with the cyber security management system (Report on Local
Government. 2019). This report mainly focusses on the key findings and the observations
form the financial audit of 2018-19. The audit office undertakes the financial and
performance audits of the such local entities in NSW to:
 To support the reforms pointed toward reinforcing governance and monetary
oversight in the area.
 Giving more prominent consistency in the monetary reporting and audit measure
 Improve financial administration, financial obligation and public responsibility.
High risk IT issues in the NSW city councils
This audit report has identified 575 issues in regard to the information technology,
for the year 2017-18 it was: 448 issues. The 68% of the issues is in connection with the user
access management for the year 2017-18 it was 60% (Report on Local Government. 2019).
Along with that, the total number of deficiencies in the information technology control has
also increased in contract to the previous year, but the total number of high risk issues has
fallen.

All the high-risk issues were reported to the different councils which are in
connection with one or more information technology processes. A table for the sample is
provided below.
The above table provides the high risk issues which are in relation to the following:
 Inefficiency and absence of implementing the right IT policies and procedures
 Weaker password arrangements
 framework usage with missing documentation, sign offs and uncertain imperfections
 Lack of or insignificant IT risk handling practices and activities.
 Client access reviews over key monetary frameworks not performed
 Shared client accounts