How to Become a IS Auditor Salary, Qualification, Skills, Role and Responsibilities

An Information Security (IS) Auditor is a professional who oversees the safety and effectiveness of computer systems. He or she testifies and ensures that computer systems stay up to date to remain risk-free from hacker attacks. An IS Auditor conducts a security audit and prepares a detailed report concerning the effectiveness of the system and explains security issues. 

An IS Auditor is responsible for performing general and application control reviews concerning complex computer information systems. He or she also directs and performs reviews of internal control procedures and ensures the security of systems. He or she maintains and develops computerised audit software. 

An IS Auditor performs information security audits and creates in-depth reports on the current state of an organisation's security. He or she conducts risk assessments on IT infrastructure to ensure operational capacity and performance within the organisation. An IS Auditor provides an audit of the security systems of an organisation.  

An IS Auditor ensures that IT infrastructure is free from criminal and terrorist cyber attacks. An IS Auditor work includes documentation of technical information for distribution to management. He or she is responsible for coordinating and interacting with external auditors, faculty, staff and other professionals. An IS Auditor job also involves providing assistance and training to audit staff to utilise computerised audit techniques. 

• An IS Auditor role is to assess risks and identify weaknesses in the IS system’s network. He or she ensures the security of IS assets of the employing organisation. 

• He or she creates and develops internal audit reports. The IS Auditor ensures that he or she has implemented the previous resolutions to previous IT audit issues. 

• He or she maintains IS audit documentation sets. He or she develops standard practices to conduct risk assessment studies.

• IS Auditor jobs come with requirements to collaborate with other business units including finance and accounting to develop a list of IS input audits to further use it for processing.

• An IS Auditor develops test plans and IS audit programmes for an organisation. He or she plans and executes varying internal audit procedures.

• An IS Auditor determines risk associated with policies of the organisation. He or she may also interview staff to understand the complications within the company.

The work environment of an IS Auditor is office based. He or she not only audits the machines and computers but also audits the employees including managers and other IT professionals by interviewing them. There is no physical labour involved in the career as IS Auditor. There is also very limited or negligible exposure to physical risk. IS Auditors jobs come with fixed working hours. They usually work eight hours a day until and unless there is a deadline. 

In this section we will be explaining how one can become an IS Auditor. We will be explaining the full roadmap to get an IS Auditor job, by following which any one interested in this career can start working in this profession. We have listed and explained the steps below. Read further to know how to become an IS Auditor. 

We have listed below major skills required to take up IS Auditor careers. Aspirants are required to acquire these IS Auditor skills to perform efficiently. 

IT Skills: An IS Auditor is a tech professional. His or her role requires strong IT skills to perform various tasks associated with the job responsibilities.  

Communication Skills: The role of IS Auditor requires strong communication skills in both written and verbal manner. His or her role requires documenting and explaining the IS audits to other tech professionals. 

Organisational Skills: An IS Auditor is required to stay organised. He or she is required to perform a number of tasks on a daily basis that involves documentation, planning and comprehensive investigation. 

Attention to Detail: An IS Auditor job demands testing information security systems and performing audits. He or she is required to pay attention to details to conduct risk assessments and identity vulnerabilities and weaknesses of IT systems.

We have listed below major IS Auditor courses. These courses may help them to upgrade their skills and knowledge to acquire a permanent IS Auditor position.  

• Stanford Advanced Computer Security Program

• Cyber Security

• CEH (v10) - Certified Ethical Hacking Course

• CISSP Certification

• Introduction to Cyber Security Course for Cyber Security Beginners

• CISM Certification Training

• Post Graduate Program in Cybersecurity

The job market for IS Auditors is positive in India. With the increasing number of users of the internet, the dynamics of cyber threat is constantly changing. Business functioning on IT infrastructure are constantly struggling to stay up to date and in compliance with federal regulations and requirements. As cyber threats are increasing, all organisations are required to have skilled IT Auditors to protect sensitive information. 

There are numerous present day innovations concerning IoT (Internet of Things) that have given rise to the requirement of new types of IT controls to ensure as secure as possible connectivity with both physical and virtual worlds. It is required to conduct IT audits to ensure interoperability within controls from one system to other systems.