Security Audit
Security audits are systematic assessments of an organization’s cybersecurity or physical security protection systems and control measures. The core of these audits is to identify security vulnerabilities and risks, verify the effectiveness of protective measures, and ensure the security of personnel, assets, and data.
Identify potential risks: Discover security vulnerabilities in advance to avoid security incidents such as data leaks, equipment theft, and system crashes caused by vulnerabilities.
Ensuring compliance: Meeting the mandatory requirements of laws, regulations, and industry standards, and avoiding the risk of penalties or license revocation due to safety non-compliance.
Protect core assets: Safeguard the organization’s physical assets (such as equipment and materials) and digital assets (such as customer data and trade secrets) to reduce economic losses and reputational damage caused by security incidents.
Improve the protection system: Continuously review and optimize security measures to enhance overall security protection capabilities and adapt to the ever-changing security threat environment.
Core Elements
Audit Target
It covers all security-related elements, including hardware facilities (such as servers and monitoring equipment), software systems (such as firewalls and operating systems), management systems (such as security operating procedures and access control methods), personnel behavior (such as password settings and access control usage), and emergency mechanisms (such as emergency plans and fault recovery procedures).
Review Basis
This mainly includes national/industry security standards (such as the Cybersecurity Law, Cybersecurity Classified Protection 2.0, ISO 27001), internal organizational security policies, industry best practices (such as cybersecurity protection specifications), and security requirements of customers or partners.
Reviewing Entity
Audits can be divided into internal audits (conducted by the organization’s security department or IT team for daily risk monitoring) and external audits (implemented by third-party security agencies or regulatory authorities for compliance certification and qualification review).
Main Audit Types
1. Cybersecurity audit
Focusing on the security protection of data and information systems, the core is to prevent risks such as cyberattacks and data breaches.
Key audit areas include: network architecture security (e.g., firewall configuration, network segment isolation), data encryption and backup (e.g., transmission/storage encryption, disaster recovery solutions), access control (e.g., minimum privilege allocation, account lifecycle management), vulnerability and patch management (e.g., regular scanning, timely patching), and intrusion detection and response (e.g., abnormal behavior monitoring, attack handling procedures).
2. Physical security audit
The core of protecting the physical environment and assets is preventing risks such as theft, vandalism, and accidents.
Key audit areas include: environmental safety (such as temperature and humidity control in the computer room, fire protection facilities), access control and monitoring (such as entrance and exit management, video surveillance coverage), equipment protection (such as physical isolation and anti-theft of servers and office equipment), personnel access management (such as visitor registration, employee identity verification), and emergency protection (such as backup power supply in case of power outage, natural disaster response measures).
Standard Implementation Process
Preparation Stage
Define the scope of the audit (e.g., a specific data center or business system) and objectives (e.g., compliance checks or risk assessments). Assemble a professional audit team (with knowledge of cybersecurity and physical protection). Collect relevant standards, regulations, and asset lists. Develop an audit plan and checklist.
Implementation Phase
We collect actual evidence of security protection through methods such as document review (verifying security policies and operating records), on-site inspection (checking equipment configuration and environmental facilities), technical testing (such as network vulnerability scanning and penetration testing), and personnel interviews (inquiring about security operating procedures).
Analysis and Reporting Phase
Compare the evidence with the audit criteria, identify security vulnerabilities and risks, assess the risk level (e.g., high, medium, low), write an audit report, and clearly describe the problem, risk impact, and targeted rectification suggestions.
Rectification and Follow-up Phase
The responsible department formulates a rectification plan and implements protective measures (such as patching vulnerabilities, upgrading equipment, and improving systems). The audit team tracks the progress of rectification and verifies the effectiveness of rectification, forming a closed loop of “assessment-rectification-verification”.
SUSTECH
SUSTECH is an innovative technology service company with artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain at its core. We specialize in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) testing, certification, and compliance management, helping companies achieve their sustainable development goals. Through digital and intelligent means, we are redefining the testing and certification industry, making ESG compliance more transparent, efficient, and credible.
Core Advantage: Technology-enabled ESG Compliance
Intelligent ESG Data Acquisition and Analysis
- IoT Environmental Monitoring: Real-time collection of data on enterprise carbon emissions, wastewater discharge, energy consumption, etc., and automatic generation of ESG reports.
- AI carbon footprint calculation: Based on supply chain data, it accurately calculates the carbon footprint of a product throughout its entire lifecycle, in accordance with international standards such as ISO 14064 and GHG Protocol.
ESG Certification and Rating Optimization
- Automated compliance checks: AI compares data against global ESG standards (such as GRI, SASB, TCFD) to identify ESG risks for enterprises and provide improvement suggestions.
- ESG Rating Enhancement Solution: Combining industry best practices, we develop actionable ESG optimization strategies to help companies improve their ESG ratings from MSCI, S&P, and other ranking bodies.
Blockchain-based Evidence Storage and Transparent Traceability
- Tamper-proof ESG reports: All test data is stored on the blockchain to ensure traceability and auditability, enhancing the trust of investors and regulators.
- Supply chain ESG penetration management: Tracking supplier ESG performance to ensure compliance with the requirements of major international manufacturers.
