How do you automate system audits?

1 Choose an audit framework

Before you start automating system audits, you need to choose an audit framework that suits your needs and goals. An audit framework is a set of standards, guidelines, and procedures that define what to audit, how to audit, and how to report the audit findings. Some examples of audit frameworks are CIS Benchmarks, NIST SP 800-53, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001. Depending on your industry, regulations, and risks, you may need to follow one or more audit frameworks.

3 Configure your automation tool

After you select an automation tool, you need to configure it to perform the audit tasks according to your audit framework. This may involve writing scripts, templates, or policies that define what to check, how to check, and how to fix any issues. You also need to set up the automation tool to run periodically, on demand, or on certain triggers. For example, you can schedule your automation tool to run daily, weekly, or monthly, or you can run it whenever you make a change to your system.

4 Review and analyze the audit reports

The next step is to review and analyze the audit reports generated by your automation tool. The audit reports should provide you with detailed information about your system status, compliance level, and any deviations or violations. You should also look for any trends, patterns, or anomalies that may indicate a problem or a risk. You can use the audit reports to identify areas for improvement, prioritize actions, and plan remediation strategies.

5 Implement corrective actions

The final step is to implement corrective actions based on the audit reports. Corrective actions are the steps you take to fix any issues or gaps that your automation tool found during the audit. You can use your automation tool to apply the corrective actions automatically or manually, depending on the severity and complexity of the issue. You should also document the corrective actions and their outcomes, and verify that they have resolved the issue.

6 Maintain and update your automation tool

Automating system audits is not a one-time project, but an ongoing process. You need to maintain and update your automation tool regularly to ensure that it works properly and reflects the latest changes in your system and your audit framework. You should also monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of your automation tool and your audit process, and make any adjustments or enhancements as needed.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?