How should I conduct a security audit ?
If you own personal assets or run a business, you need to protect them by conducting security audits. A comprehensive audit could expose possible security risks and help you avoid them by taking steps even before problems arise. If you don’t know how security audit is done, here’s a useful guide you can use.
1) Asset list – Be aware that not all of your assets should be included in the list. Define the scope of your security audit before creating an asset list. This list would help you determine which assets need protection and which do not. Make sure that all items listed are tangible assets.
2) Security perimeter – Make sure you set a perimeter, which consists of the physical boundary (a tangible boundary, such as an office room) and the conceptual boundary (considered as the boundary wherein the assets are located). You will set these perimeters to ensure you only concentrate on assets within this range and avoid overlooking assets.
3) Potential Security threats – Even before such problems occur, you need to be aware of the possible security threats that are common for each asset. Good examples of this include unrestricted computer passwords, employee access to long-distance calls or customers’ information listing their credit cards and other financial information, which may lead to fraud when someone gets access to it. Understanding and listing down these threats is an important step in protecting assets.
4) Prioritize – Make sure you list down the potential security threats according to which ones would potentially risk your asset. Once you’ve listed them down according to priority, you can now determine the proper steps to protect each asset.
5) Solutions – After listing down your assets, setting perimeters, determining potential threats and prioritizing the ones needed greater protection, you need to develop a foolproof security intrusion plan. This plan can help you prepare for every possible threat you may face while protecting your assets.
Be aware that research is the key to conduct an effective security audit. Make sure you understand audit components and the available options for security audit, so you can plan and develop solid security for both your personal and business assets.
