Without proper knowledge of the information technology and systems that you are going to assess, it is almost impossible to audit IT systems.to find the flaws in a system you must know, at least, how it works and its potential vulnerabilities. So, the essential skills an IT auditor need are database, operating systems, web technologies, networking and business processes. The other essential thing an IT auditor always need to remember is the to continuously check the best practices in IT security industries and the international and local standards.The following are the list of skills that are essentials to an IT auditor.
- Formal qualification to undertake an audit. Though a formal qualification in audit may not be required for all types of audit, it gives you a systematic approach to plan and manage your audit process.
- There is no alternative to practical experience. No matter what your qualification is, you cannot see things with the eye of an auditor unless you practically start auditing any IT systems.
- For an IT auditor it is extremely useful to have sound understanding of the core business processes because you need to find a way to link the IT systems that is delivering value to the business. For example, if you have a customer relationship database, you need to ensure that this system can uniquely identify each user without any problem.
- Apart from clear understanding in business processes and its relation to the IT, an auditor should be able to identify the key IT processes and assets that deliver the maximum value to the business, and according to that assessment he should prioritize IT risks and the necessary controls to either eliminate or accept a level of risk that is acceptable by the management of the organization.
- An auditor needs to be capable of working both independently and in a team. His focus should be to deliver his works with due professional care within the stipulate time set by the management.
- He needs to have the capability to work in diversified working environments and should maintain good relationship to all the personals of the organization where he conducts his audit works.
- Since IT auditing requires a strong communication skills such a verbal and written, and IT auditor must ensure that he has strong communication as well as interpersonal skills.
- An auditor needs to engage with IT management in a positive and decent way in order to gain management’s confidence on his audit findings and also need to make sure the executives are eager to pay serious attention to solve those findings.
- Explaining complex technical stuff in simple words is an art, which is the most desirable skill an auditor needs to have in order to convince and communicate the non-technical management team.
- An IT auditor should be a man of integrity and under no circumstances he should compromise to his audit findings. If there arise any disagreement with the auditor to the audited authority, then he should deal with the situation maintaining professional code of conducts and ethics.
- Without having a strong analytical and logical reasoning ability, an IT auditor will not be able to continue his auditing career because IT audit is all about gathering information and evaluating it based on the quality, quantity and importance.
