Section 13.116 External Audits and Assessments

Question 1

External Audits and Assessments

Answer 1

Essential tools for maintaining a robust security posture and ensuring regulatory compliance

■ Conducted by independent third parties to provide an unbiased perspective on an organision security

Question 2

External Audits

Answer 2

Systematic evaluations conducted by independent entities to assess information systems, applications, and security controls

Focuses on various areas:
● Data protection
● Network security
● Access controls
● Incident response procedures

Question 3

Goals of External Audits

Answer 3

to identify gaps in security policies and controls for compliance with regulatory standards such as

● GDPR
● HIPAA
● PCI DSS

Question 4

External Assessments

Answer 4

Detailed analysis by independent entities to identify vulnerabilities and risks in an organisations security systems

External assessments can take various forms

● Risk assessments
● Vulnerability assessments
● Threat assessments

Utilize automated scanning tools and manual testing techniques

Question 5

Regulatory Compliance

Answer 5

The goal is to ensure organisations comply with relevant laws, policies, and
regulations

■ Organizations adopt consolidated and harmonized sets of compliance controls to achieve regulatory compliance, e.g., NIST Cybersecurity Framework

■ Compliance includes adherence to industry-specific rules (e.g., HIPAA, PCI DSS) and more generalized regulations like GDPR

Question 6

Examinations

Answer 6

Detailed inspections of an organisations security infrastructure conducted externally

Cover various areas:

● Network security
● Data Protection
● Access controls

May include testing of the following

● Key personnel
● Certifications up to date
● Standardised assessments

Crucial for maintaining a strong security posture and regulatory compliance.

Question 7

Independent Third-Party Audits

Answer 7

Provide an unbiased perspective on an organisations security posture

■ Validate security measures and build trust with
● Customers
● Stakeholder
● Regulatory bodies

■ Required by regulations like GDPR and PCI DSS for organizations to undergo regular independent third-party audits