auditmonitoring

Audit monitoring is the systematic process of overseeing and evaluating audit activities, controls, and audit trails to verify that an organization’s policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements are being followed. The term is commonly written as two words, audit monitoring, but some contexts use the compound form auditmonitoring. It encompasses the collection, analysis, and reporting of events and transactions to detect deviations, assess control effectiveness, and provide evidence for decision making. Audit monitoring can operate as a continuous practice within governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) programs, integrating traditional audits with real-time surveillance.

Key components include event logging from information systems, continuous data collection, real-time analytics, alerting for abnormal or high-risk activities, and a maintained audit trail that supports traceability. Tools often used are security information and event management (SIEM) systems, continuous controls monitoring (CCM) platforms, and audit management software that links findings to remediation workflows. Methods include automated rule-based checks, statistical sampling, risk scoring, and anomaly detection.

Applications span information security, financial controls, regulatory compliance, and operational governance. In IT, audit monitoring helps verify access controls, change management, and data integrity. In finance, it supports SOX and financial reporting compliance; in healthcare and other regulated sectors, it assists in privacy and consent requirements.

Challenges include handling large data volumes, reducing false positives, ensuring data quality, protecting privacy, and balancing cost with coverage. Adherence to standards such as COSO ERM, COBIT, ISO 27001, and regulatory frameworks guides the design and evaluation of audit monitoring programs.