Security audit
- 1. IT Security Auditing Martin Goldberg
- 2. Today’s Topics Defining IT Audit and the Auditor Steps of an IT Audit Preparing to be Audited How IT Audit Applications
- 3. Defining IT Security Audit Financial Audit IRS Physical Audit Inventory
- 4. Defining IT Security Audit (cont.) IT Audit Independent review and examination of records and activities to assess the adequacy of system controls, to ensure compliance with established policies and operational procedures, and to recommend changes in controls, policies, or procedures - DL 1.1.9 Good Amount of Vagueness Ultimately defined by where you work
- 5. Who is an IT Auditor Accountant Raised to a CS Major CPA, CISA, CISM, Networking, Hardware, Software, Information Assurance, Cryptography Some one who knows everything an accountant does plus everything a BS/MS does about CS and Computer Security - Not likely to exist IT Audits Are Done in Teams Accountant + Computer Geek = IT Audit Team Scope to large Needed expertise varies
- 6. CISA? CISM? CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor CISM - Certified Information Systems Mangager - new www.isaca.org (Information Systems Audit and Control Organization) Teaching financial auditors to talk to CS people
- 7. CISA Min. of 5 years of IS auditing, control or security work experience Code of professional ethics Adhering to IS auditing standards Exam topics: 1. Management, Planning, and Organization of IS 2. Technical Infrastructure and Operational Practices 3. Protection of Information Assets
- 8. CISA (cont.) Exam topics: (cont.) 4. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity 5. Business Application System Development, Acquisition, Implementation, and Maintenance 6. Business Process Evaluation and Risk Management 7. The IS Audit Process
- 9. CISM Next step above CISA Exam topics: 1. Information Security Governance 2. Risk Management 3. Information Security Program Management 4. Information Security Management 5. Response Management
- 10. Steps of An IT Audit 1. Planning Phase 2. Testing Phase 3. Reporting Phase Ideally it’s a continuous cycle Again not always the case
- 11. Planning Phase Entry Meeting Define Scope Learn Controls Historical Incidents Past Audits Site Survey Review Current Policies Questionnaires Define Objectives Develop Audit Plan / Checklist
- 12. Defining Objectives & Data Collection Some Points to Keep in Mind OTS (Department of Treasury - Office of Thrift Savings) - Banking Regulations SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) - Mutual Funds HIPPA - Health Care Sarbanes Oxley - Financial Reports, Document Retention Gramm-Leach Bliley - Consumer Financial Information FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) - Student Records
- 13. Example Checklist “An Auditor’s Checklist for Performing a Perimeter Audit of on IBM ISERIES (AS/400) System” - Craig Reise Scope of the audit does not include the Operating System Physical security Services running
- 14. Testing Phase Meet With Site Managers What data will be collected How/when will it be collected Site employee involvement Answer questions
- 15. Testing Phase (cont.) Data Collection Based on scope/objectives Types of Data Physical security Interview staff Vulnerability assessments Access Control assessments
- 16. Reporting Phase Exit Meeting - Short Report Immediate problems Questions & answer for site managers Preliminary findings NOT able to give in depth information
- 17. Reporting Phase (cont.) Long Report After Going Through Data Intro defining objectives/scope How data was collected Summary of problems Table format Historical data (if available) Ratings Fixes Page # where in depth description is
- 18. Reporting Phase (cont.) In depth description of problem How problem was discovered Fix (In detail) Industry standards (if available) Glossary of terms References Note: The Above Varies Depending on Where You Work
- 19. Preparing To Be Audited This Is NOT a Confrontation Make Your Self Available Know What The Scope/Objectives Are Know What Type of Data Will be Collected Know What Data Shouldn’t be Collected
- 20. Example - Auditing User & Groups
- 21. Application Audit An assessment Whose Scope Focuses on a Narrow but Business Critical Processes or Application Excel spreadsheet with embedded macros used to analyze data Payroll process that may span across several different servers, databases, operating systems, applications, etc. The level of controls is dependent on the degree of risk involved in the incorrect or unauthorized processing of data
- 22. Application Audit (cont.) 1. Administration 2. Inputs, Processing, Outputs 3. Logical Security 4. Disaster Recovery Plan 5. Change Management 6. User Support 7. Third Party Services 8 . General Controls
- 23. Application Audit - Administration Probably the most important area of the audit, because this area focuses on the overall ownership and accountability of the application Roles & Responsibilities - development, change approval, access authorization Legal or regulatory compliance issues
- 24. Application Audit - Inputs, Processing, Outputs Looking for evidence of data preparation procedures, reconciliation processes, handling requirements, etc. Run test transactions against the application Includes who can enter input and see output Retention of output and its destruction
- 25. Application Audit - Logical Security Looking at user creation and authorization as governed by the application its self User ID linked to a real person Number of allowable unsuccessful log-on attempts Minimum password length Password expiration Password Re-use ability
- 26. Application Audit - Disaster Recovery Plan Looking for an adequate and performable disaster recovery plan that will allow the application to be recovered in a reasonable amount of time after a disaster Backup guidelines, process documentation, offsite storage guidelines, SLA’s with offsite storage vendors, etc.
- 27. Application Audit - Change Management Examines the process changes to an application go through Process is documented, adequate and followed Who is allowed to make a request a change, approve a change and make the change Change is tested and doesn’t break compliance (determined in Administration) before being placed in to production
- 28. Application Audit - User Support One of the most overlooked aspects of an application User documentation (manuals, online help, etc.) - available & up to date User training - productivity, proper use, security Process for user improvement requests
- 29. Application Audit - Third Party Services Look at the controls around any 3rd party services that are required to meet business objectives for the application or system Liaison to 3rd party vendor Review contract agreement SAS (Statement on Auditing Standards) N0. 70 - Service organizations disclose their control activities and processes to their customers and their customers’ auditors in a uniform reporting format
- 30. Application Audit - General Controls Examining the environment the application exists within that affect the application System administration / operations Organizational logical security Physical security Organizational disaster recovery plans Organizational change control process License control processes Virus control procedures
- 31. References www.isaca.org “An Auditor’s Checklist for Performing a Perimeter Audit of on IBM ISERIES (AS/400) System” - Craig Reise “Conducting a Security Audit: An Introductory Overview” - Bill Hayes “The Application Audit Process - A Guide for Information Security Professionals” - Robert Hein
Editor's Notes
- #5: This is an audit of how the confidentiatlity, integrity and availablility of an organizations information assets is assured. The point of doing it is to catch problems before an incident occurs and exposes the problem to the world at large. Base on where you work the phrase pen test and IT Security Audit may be used interchangalby. However a pen test is a very narrowly foucused attempt to look for security holes in a critical resource, such as a firewall or webserver. With little or no information on your intended target. On the other hand and IT Audit is broader range assesment. For example when pen testing a web server you are looking for vulnerabilities in the service and/or underlying system. An IT Security audit you want to know, how has access to this machine, who is allowed to make changes, are there any change logs being kept, how accurate, etc. There is also a full disclosure of the information.
- #7: What are these and why should you take them seriously? ISACA is an international organization
- #8: Evaluate the strategy, policies, standards, procedures and related practices for the management, planning, and organization of IS. Policies governing you IS department compared to best practices Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization's implementation and ongoing management of technical and operational infrastructure to ensure that they adequately support the organization's business objectives. Right equipment of the job 3. Evaluate the logical, environmental, and IT infrastructure security to ensure that it satisfies the organization's business requirements for safeguarding information assets against unauthorized use, disclosure, modification, damage, or loss. Really in depth IT Security Area. Checking for things like password usage, encryption, etc.
- #9: 4. Evaluate the process for developing and maintaining documented, communicated, and tested plans for continuity of business operations and IS processing in the event of a disruption. Audting of Disaster Recovery Plans 5. Evaluate the methodology and processes by which the business application system development, acquisition, implementation, and maintenance are undertaken to ensure that they meet the organization's business objectives. This area covers Application auditing which I will discuss more 6. Evaluate business systems and processes to ensure that risks are managed in accordance with the organization's business objectives. Auditing risk management procedures and policies 7. Conduct IS audits in accordance with generally accepted IS audit standards and guidelines to ensure that the organization's information technology and business systems are adequately controlled, monitored, and assessed. Following best practices
- #10: Establish and maintain a framework to provide assurance that information security strategies are aligned with business objectives and consistent with applicable laws and regulations Higher level view of an organizations IT policies and procedures to make sure they are both useful to the organization on are in complience with laws and regulations that may apply 2.Identify and manage information security risks to achieve business objectives CISA you were looking at risk management from the point of view of one entity within the corporation, here you are examining how a failure in that entity affect the entire organization 3.Design, develop and manage an information security program to implement the information security governance framework For the most part when you are auditng you are a casual observer and make your suggestions at the end. When it comes to the management level your input is expected when developing organizational wide policies and procedures. 4. Oversee and direct information security activities to execute the information security program Again you are expected to take a more proactive role 5. Develop and manage a capability to respond to and recover from disruptive and destructive information security events Same as the last 3
- #11: General approach to IT Auditing, remember IT Security Auditing is a large subset of IT Auditing
- #12: Controls are management controls, authentication/access controls, physical security, outsider access to systems, system administration controls and procedures, connections to external networks, remote access, incident response, contingency plan.
- #14: Example of defining objectives and scope
- #20: Generally specific records shouldn’t be needed instead an agregaion
- #21: Very simple, this is an example of a real life example taken form the MTA just really dumbed down. Original one included close to 1,000 users 125 groups. Being in 2 groups is ok, all 3 is a violation. Ideally, 1 person in group. When clearence or guarded information is involved it puts a heavier burden on the site employees
- #23: An Application Audit, should, at a minimum determine the existence of controls in these areas 1 to 7 are more important While 8 is a bit outside of the scope
- #24: Roles & Responsibilities should be segregated. What compliance do you need to follow
- #27: Service level agreement
- #31: Application doesn’t exist within a bubble. Not doing in depth audit on these points