ITauditor

An IT auditor is a professional who evaluates an organization's information technology systems, controls, and governance processes to ensure reliability, security, and regulatory compliance. IT auditors can work in internal audit teams, public accounting firms, or as external consultants. Their scope includes IT infrastructure, software applications, data management, cybersecurity controls, and the governance practices that guide IT operations.

Typical duties include planning and scoping audits, identifying risk areas, testing IT general controls such as change management, access control, configuration management, and backup procedures, and assessing application controls within business systems. They review data privacy, information security, incident response, business continuity, and vendor risk. After testing, they document findings, recommend remediation steps, and follow up to verify corrective actions.

IT auditors work with professional standards from organizations such as ISACA and the IIA and commonly apply frameworks such as COBIT, ISO/IEC 27001, and NIST SP 800-53. They align audits with legal and regulatory requirements relevant to the industry, including GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and sector-specific mandates. Audit results inform risk treatment and governance improvements.

Key qualifications include a bachelor's degree in information systems, accounting, or a related field, strong analytical and communication skills, and proficiency with audit tools and data analytics. The most recognized certification is the CISA; other common credentials include CISM, CRISC, and CGEIT. Career progression typically moves from IT auditor to senior auditor, manager, and ultimately chief audit executive, with ongoing professional development.