Computer auditing can mean different things depending on the organization, as there are no set definitions. The scope of a computer audit may include auditing systems software, systems under development, or clerical procedures. Organizations of similar size and sector may have varying approaches to computer auditing, with differences in depth and duration of audits. Computer auditing operates in a climate of constant rapid change as technology advances quickly, requiring auditors to have a dynamic and flexible approach.
Computer auditing can mean different things depending on the organization, as there are no set definitions. The scope of a computer audit may include auditing systems software, systems under development, or clerical procedures. Organizations of similar size and sector may have varying approaches to computer auditing, with differences in depth and duration of audits. Computer auditing operates in a climate of constant rapid change as technology advances quickly, requiring auditors to have a dynamic and flexible approach.
Computer auditing can mean different things depending on the organization, as there are no set definitions. The scope of a computer audit may include auditing systems software, systems under development, or clerical procedures. Organizations of similar size and sector may have varying approaches to computer auditing, with differences in depth and duration of audits. Computer auditing operates in a climate of constant rapid change as technology advances quickly, requiring auditors to have a dynamic and flexible approach.
environment. One of the most important factors to consider when discussing computer audit is that the term computer audit can mean many different things to different people. What may be regarded as computer auditing in one organization, and very much the realm of the specialist computer auditor, may be undertaken by business auditors in another similar organization. For example, computer audit may be restricted to auditing systems software in one organization, whilst areas such as auditing systems under development may be the responsibility of the business auditor. Similarly, in some organizations, it is not uncommon for the role of computer audit to be extended to include the review of clerical procedures and the production of compliance based audit work programmes for field auditors, thereby providing a wider systems audit service. There are no hard and fast rules as to what constitutes computer audit. Often, similar sized organizations operating in the same sector may have different approaches to computer audit. Even where there appears to be commonality in the scope of audit areas, there can be significant variations in the depth of auditing undertaken. An audit of an operating system in one organization may require between 5 and 10 man-days, whilst in another, the same operating system may be subject to a more detailed examination lasting several months. A key feature of many organizations today is change. Although not necessarily the driver of change, IT is invariably an intrinsic component and much of the change would not be possible without IT. IT has had a major impact on social, economic and political factors throughout the world. Not only has it led to the creation of new professions but it has also revolutionized others, such as office work, or, when combined with robotics, manufacturing industries. Computer audit operates in a climate of constant and rapid change. Computer auditors are continually faced with the prospect of faster, smaller and cheaper IT systems. An analogy that is frequently used to describe the rapid development of IT, is if aviation had developed at the same rate, man would have landed on the moon in 1922. IT is a dynamic area which in turn, requires a dynamic and flexible control structure.