Comprehensive IT Security Audit Services

As the IT infrastructure is as an indispensable part of the modern day organizations, examination of the IT infrastructure controls is mandatory. It’s always necessary to check whether the IT controls, practices and operations within the system are in order or there is any threat of information being breached. The companies which are dealing in data and technology using computers and have a network system in place will have to check the strength of the security measures.

In the information technology setting, information security audit is a necessity just like any other auditing. This is a necessity because it brings a control and governance in the IT and business processes. IT Security Audit Services augments the value you’re attaining from the IT infrastructure for alignment of services and simplification of   implementation of their IT policies.

To bring the best out of the information security audit, there are 5 following areas in which the application security measures can be implemented:

1.       Systems and applications - a means of protecting the application platforms and checking out the efficiency and control of input and output.

2.       Information processing facilities - Processing of applications, related software data and data centers are safeguarded against breach by doing the information security audit from time to time.

3.       Systems development - Audit will ensure that the system is being developed within the accepted standard of system development.

4.       Management of IT and enterprise architecture - Safeguarding the architecture of the system is essentially fulfilled by having a safety net for the IT, checked by audit.

5.       Protection of the clients' servers and other intranet and extranet communication servers are possibly done by bringing out a strong infrastructure that is based on regular auditing.

At Qadit Systems, we provide comprehensive IT security solutions which includes IT Security Consulting, Risk Management, ERP and Business Process Analysis with competency on banking applications and use of varied IT Security Audit Services tools.

Our Information Systems Security Audit Services covers the following:

·         IS Controls Review

·         Network Audits (including vulnerability and penetration testing)

·         Data Centre Audits

·         Business Application Audits

·         Web Application Security Testing

     Migration Audits

Importance of Information Security Management

Today, most of the organizations are highly dependent on information systems to manage business and deliver products or services. Businesses rely on information technology services for development, production and delivery in various internal applications. Those internal applications such as financial databases, time-booking of employees, offering help-desk and customer care services, giving remote access to customers and employees and remote access for client systems, interactions through e-mail,  internet, mobile phones and other gadgets.

What’s Information Security Management?

The information security management (ISM) comprises of set of policies and procedures for systematically managing an organization's sensitive data. The aim of ISM is to minimize risk and ensure business continuity by pro-actively limiting the impact of a security breach.

As far as information security management system is concerned, this is the part of overall management system, basing on business risk approach to establish, operate, monitor, implement, review, maintain and improve information security. The management system is a combination of things like organizational structure, policies, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources.

Three Aspects of information Security

Confidentiality: Protection of information from unauthorized disclosure to competitors or to press.

Integrity: Protection of information from unauthorized modification, ensuring that information like price list, is accurate and complete.

Availability: Making sure information is available when you need it.

The confidentiality, integrity and availability of information are important for competitive edge, cash flow, profitability, and legal compliance and branding.

Networks are interconnected and dependent and they require most effective security systems to avoid any intrusions. We at Qadit, since our inception in 2001, we have been providing world-class end-to-end information security solutions to clients. Having proven methodologies in place, in-house expertise and customized approach of partnering with clients to understand and mitigate their information security risks have helped us to be one of the market leaders in IT Security Consulting.

SSAE 18 Certification and its implementation

SSAE 18 Audit is a series of improvements compared to SSAE 16 and SAS 70, aiming at increasing the usefulness and quality of SOC reports. The changes made to the SSAE 18 Audit standard ensures the companies to take more control and ownership of their own internal controls in cases of identification and classification of risk and appropriate third party vendor relationship management.

The two key changes to companies currently performing SOC 1 or 2, they need to take into consideration the following point:

·         Implementing a formal Third Party Vendor Management Program

·         Implementing a formal Annual Risk Assessment process

SSAE 18 certification is important because many customers are looking for places with a good reputation. The SSAE 18 Certification gives the company extra credibility for the way they conduct business. Today, businesses are requiring SSAE 18 because many vendors need to attain SOC reports for SSAE 18. These companies include government entities, nonprofit organizations, financial service companies, IT, transportation, healthcare providers, and construction, manufacturing and insurance agencies, even real estate.

A company can get a SOC certification by getting an independent certified public accountant come in and determining that the company is conducting its business to their specifications and is qualified for certification. The following is an SSAE 18 checklist to ensure compliance, the companies has to do:

·         Reviewing reports, including financial and external communication

·         Gain certification by improving compliance with constant communication with the third party vendors

·         Regular visit to the third-party vendors to make sure everything is operating smoothly

·         Need to do an internal control audit for the third party vendors.

·         Thoroughly analyze the SOC reviews

·         Overseeing complaints and other external communication from its third party vendors

SSAE 18 certified data centers are of repute. There are few things which are to be done for SSAE 18 certification. There are many principles that all data centers, collocation, and hosting facilities have to follow while getting certified. The most important thing for data center to take note of is that security.  The data center needs to take into account security and has to sustain physical security controls which include security guards, biometric scanning, and video cameras.

Management and Regulations of SSAE 18 Audit in India

There is a new auditing standard that has been implemented, named SSAE 18, replacing previously in use standards like SSAE 16 and SAS 70. Of course, there can be major challenge for companies to integrate the new system in their routine work environment. 

SSAE stands for Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements, developed by The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Auditing Standards Board (ASB). According to AICPA Service Organization Control (SOC) reports are internal control reports regarding the services provided by a service organization, involving valuable information that users need to assess while addressing the risks associated with an outsourced service.

The above theory clarifies that SSAE is used to regulate how companies conduct their respective businesses and specifies how companies report on compliance controls. These reports are of SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3.

Qadit, being a reliable provider of IT security solutions provides SSAE 18Audit in India that involves one of the most effective ways of communicating information that service organizations do about its controls to user entities through Service Auditor’s Report. There are two types of Service Auditor’s Reports:

1.      Type 1 and Type 2: SOC 1: These reports are furnished by the service organizations, related to the activities and procedure undertaken that have the potential to directly impact a client’s financials.  

2.      Soc-2:  This report evaluates the business information system relating to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.

3.      Soc-3: These reports can be used for public distribution for example display on website etc.

SSAE 18 certification in India audit report ensures the service organization to provide its customers for implementation of a formal Third Party Vendor Management Program and Annual Risk Assessment process.  The SSAE 18 update’s main purpose is to clarify certain old standards and streamline and simplify the review process. This update is demanding from companies more control and responsibility with the people they work with, particularly with third-party vendors. The changes do not seem to be so difficult to deal with, but these changes are for better control. 

SSAE 18 Audit, Its Regulations and Compliances

When organizations compare virtual server hosting companies, they have to quickly assess service quality and reliability. A standard for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) is one of the most accurate auditing standards for hosting companies. SSAE has been designed to provide customers with a level of assurance of corporate controls. SSAE type audits confirm the highest service level attainable for a virtual server hosting company. SSAE is an internationally recognized standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

What is SSAE 18?

The full form of "SSAE" is Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements. This has been developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). SAS 70 and SSAE 16 have been replaced by SSAE 18.

What is SSAE 16?

SSAE 16 is an auditing standard for service organizations, replacing the auditing standard SAS 70. SSAE 16 compliance confirms that an attestation engagement to report on controls at a host has been performed by a service auditor, resulting the generation of an SSAE 16 Type 1 or SSAE 16 Type 2 report. An SSAE 16 compliant web host offers the following features:

·         SSL capability

·         Application level protection

·         Hardware firewall

·         IP-restricted FTP

·         Managed backups with 14-day retention

·         Advanced monitoring, and multi-level intrusion prevention (IPS/IDS).

·         Multi-level intrusion prevention

What’s new in SSAE 18 Audit?

SSAE18 Audit is a series of improvements aimed to increase the usefulness and quality of SOC reports, replacing SSAE 16 and SAS 70. The changes made to the standard this time will ensure the companies to take more control and ownership of their own internal controls in cases of identification and classification of risk and appropriate third party vendor relationship management.

There have been couple of key changes to companies currently performing a SOC 1 or 2 or will be performing one in the near future, they need to take into consideration the following point:

·         The Service Organizations has to implement a formal Third Party Vendor Management Program

·         The Service Organizations has to implement a formal Annual Risk Assessment process

In the above scenario, Qadit, being a reliable provider of IT security solutions is engaged in providing world-class end-to-end information security solutions to clients. The company’s proven methodologies, in-house knowledge base and customized approach of partnering with clients has gone a long way in understanding and mitigating their information security risks.  

Bring superior value to the clients through quality service and innovation!

With the increase in use of IT and IT-enabled systems, networks and mobile communications, there’s increase in computer frauds, hacking, network and mobile communication attacks for all businesses. The internet is the market for thousands of products and services all over the world. Users and buyers have the convenience of finding anything in fingertips. As the internet is common to every household, E-commerce and online shopping has also become a trend. Therefore, very internet user can be considered as a potential buyer.

But you can ask any online potential buyer or customer, the first thing he or she would ask- Can I trust this website? Or is there any kind of IT security certification? Trust and confidence are two terms which play a significant role for sale. The advantage of online business is its accessibility to customers all over the world. But its online presence creates doubts on the minds of customers such as its legitimacy of the business, the quality of the product or services and security of the personal data, most importantly financial information.

But such security threats and doubts can be eliminated. First thing a customer checks whether your website secured or unsecured. The most proactive way to give evidence to the customer is that your website is secured. Secure Sockets Layer technology or SSL protocol has been developed to protect transactions of financial and personal information on the internet. That’s why IT security certification is essential for e-commerce sites because it acts as a visible proof and passport to show that the online business is legitimate and sensitive information is secured from hackers or unauthorized use.

Qadit is a 100% Security focused company, catering to the high-end security and networking products and solutions to its customers. Our aim is to provide superior value to its clients through quality service, innovation, continuous improvement, and strategic alliances with principals and channel partners. 

Why Are IT Security Companies so Important in India?

IT security is about the technologies and practices that keep computer systems and electronic data safe. In a world where increasing number of businesses and social lives are going online, IT security field has been turned out to be an enormous and growing field.

In recent times, IT security concerns are increasingly making headlines these days because unscrupulous hackers and thieves are stealing customer social security numbers from big corporations' computer systems. There are instances where hackers grab passwords and personal information from social media sites, or pluck company secrets from the cloud. In view of the above threats, the role of IT security companies in India are growing.

At Qadit Systems, one of the best ITsecurity companies in India, we have a team of highly-trained and highly-qualified IT professionals, having varied experience in IT Security Consulting, Risk Management, ERP and Business Process Analysis.  We have decades of experience in providing Information Security Consultancy, Management Consultancy and Audit Services and Risk Assessments and Management to leading corporate, BPOs, Government of Tamil Nadu and banks in India.

Our team has immense expertise in-depth knowledge on ERP, banking applications and use of varied IT Security Audit tools, covering verticals such as BFSI, Manufacturing, Telecom, FMCG, Pharmaceuticals, Entertainment and IT.  As Qadit is a CERT-IN (Computer Emergency Response Team India) Information Security Auditing organization and certified as an ISO 27001:2013 company, it provides our clients the assurance that their confidential data are safely dealt by us. We as a company provide world-class end-to-end information security solutions to clients.

Qadit is a 100% Security focused company, catering to the high-end security and networking products and solutions to its customers. Our aim is to provide superior value to its clients through quality service, innovation, continuous improvement, and strategic alliances with principals and channel partners.