The foundation of an effective information security program isn’t just about flashy tools or lofty goals—it’s about getting priorities right. A recent quiz highlighted an interesting quesrion: What’s the first step for a successful information security program? Let’s dive into the reasoning and best practices.

The Quiz Question
“For an information security program to be successful, it is necessary to have FIRST developed:”
1. Senior management commitment (25%)
2. An audit project definition (5%)
3. Information security strategy (25%)
4. Information security goals and objectives (45%)

While many voted for “goals and objectives,” the correct answer is “information security strategy.” Why is that the case? Let's look closer.

Core Concepts
1. Information Security Strategy: The Master Plan
A strategy provides the overarching framework that aligns security efforts with business objectives. It identifies risks, determines priorities, and outlines resources needed to mitigate threats. Without a strategy, even well-defined goals lack direction.
2. The Role of Goals and Objectives
Goals and objectives are critical, but they flow from the strategy. They’re the milestones that make the strategy actionable, but they cannot exist in isolation.
3. The Importance of Senior Management Commitment
While not the “first” step, senior management buy-in is vital for allocating resources, enforcing policies, and ensuring alignment with organisational priorities.
4. Audit Project Definition: A Common Misstep
This is a task-specific focus, not a foundation for building a security program. It’s useful but far removed from setting up a robust framework.

Practical Example: Applying the Right Sequence
Imagine launching a security program for a mid-sized company:
• Step 1: Develop an Information Security Strategy
Analyse risks, define high-level approaches, and ensure alignment with business goals.
• Step 2: Set Goals and Objectives
Create measurable targets like “reduce phishing incidents by 50% in one year.”
• Step 3: Gain Senior Management Commitment
Present the strategy and goals to leadership, securing approval and resources.
• Step 4: Execute Audits and Projects
Use audits to monitor progress and refine the approach as needed.

Why This Matters in Real-World Scenarios
Rushing to define objectives without a strategic foundation can result in fragmented efforts. Organisations may focus on irrelevant risks, overspend on tools, or fail to comply with regulatory standards.


Building a successful information security program isn’t about choosing one component over another—it’s about the right sequence. Strategy leads the way, guiding objectives, securing management support, and ensuring success.

Hit ❤️ if the information was useful.

“What Defines Requirements in a Business Case?”

When preparing a business case to change vendors, the requirements are key to success. But what’s the most critical element of defining those requirements? 🤔

🔍 Here’s a question to consider:
“Which of the following is defined by the requirements element?”

1️⃣ Understanding the current product
2️⃣ Cost-effectiveness
3️⃣ Alternatives and rationale
4️⃣ Contractual and regulatory processes

The correct answer highlights the importance of contractual and regulatory processes in defining requirements. Why?

👉 Regulatory Compliance: Avoid legal risks and ensure adherence to industry standards (e.g., GDPR).
👉 Contractual Clarity: Define SLAs, data ownership, and liabilities upfront.
👉 Risk Mitigation: Set a solid foundation for vendor performance and accountability.

While understanding the product and alternatives is important, requirements focus first on ensuring legal, regulatory, and contractual alignment. Without this, even cost-effective or technically strong solutions can fail.

💬 Your turn! How do you approach defining requirements in your projects? Let us know in the comments below! 🚀

P.S. Remember to hit a reaction 🚥

How to Conduct an IT Audit of Windows Firewall Settings

Windows Firewall is a critical security component for any organisation running Windows-based systems. Properly configured firewall rules help protect against unauthorised access and malicious traffic. In this post, we’ll discuss the key steps to perform an IT audit of Windows Firewall settings, ensuring your systems remain secure and compliant with organisational policies.

1. Review Firewall Configuration

Before diving into the technical details, ensure you have a clear overview of the organisation’s security policies. Then, review the current firewall settings:

netsh advfirewall show allprofiles

Output example:

Domain Profile Settings:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
State ON
Firewall Policy BlockInbound, AllowOutbound
...

This command provides an overview of the inbound and outbound policies for each profile (Domain, Private, Public).

2. Evaluate Inbound and Outbound Rules

Examine existing rules to confirm they match business needs and do not expose critical ports unnecessarily.

netsh advfirewall firewall show rule name=all

Check:
• Enabled rules: Are they still necessary, or can any be removed?
• Port usage: Are only required ports open?
• Protocol restrictions: Are the protocols and services appropriate?

3. Validate Exceptions and Allowed Applications

Look for any applications or services that are allowed through the firewall. Ensure these exceptions are part of approved change requests and align with organisational policies.
• Confirm that legacy apps (if any) are locked down or updated.
• Remove or disable any rule that’s no longer needed.

4. Automate Regular Audits

For continuous assurance, schedule scripts or use centralised management tools (like Group Policy or SCCM) to monitor and report on firewall rules:

# Example scheduled task snippet
powershell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "netsh advfirewall firewall show rule name=all | Out-File 'C:\AuditReports\FirewallRules.txt'"

Practical Application
• Verifying Compliance: Regular checks keep systems aligned with security best practices and meet regulatory requirements.
• Incident Investigation: Thorough knowledge of firewall rules aids in identifying suspicious traffic patterns or unauthorised services.

Security Tips
1. Limit administrative privileges: Only trusted administrators should have the right to modify firewall settings.
2. Use logging: Enable logging for both dropped and successful connections to help identify issues or intrusions.
3. Regularly review: Outdated rules can linger for years—schedule periodic reviews to remove or update them.

#itaudit📱

Thumbs up if you need more details and practice and also feel free to share

https://www.patreon.com/posts/119569102?utm_campaign=postshare_fan

This Excel-based workbook simplifies Azure audits for Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Network Security Groups (NSGs). It provides a straightforward structure for capturing role assignments, network rules, and action items, along with basic scripts to export data. Use it to keep your environment secure, document changes, and maintain a clear audit trail, no heavy details needed.

Which topic you'd like to be covered in the next post. Leave it in comments. 🙂

Thanks all who's replied, I'll work on material an publish some work programs based on your demands.

🛡️ Exclusive Guide: IT Infrastructure Audit Program🛡️

I am happy to publish an in-depth IT Infrastructure Audit Plan tailored to help you streamline your auditing processes and ensure your organisation's IT environment is compliant, secure, and efficient. 🔒
Here's what’s inside:
📝 Domain-specific Checklists: Covering policy enforcement, backup verification, security audits, disaster recovery, and more.
⚙️ Structured Audit Approach: Step-by-step guidance from preparation to reporting.
📊 Compliance Alignment: Insights to align your audit with standards like ISO 27001, GDPR, and NIST CSF.
🌟 Actionable Recommendations: Practical tips to enhance your organisation’s IT governance.
✨ What’s new?
Learn how to:
Analyse support tickets for trends and solutions.
Validate recovery point and time objectives (RPOs/RTOs).
Conduct effective simulation tests for disaster recovery plans.
💼 Whether you’re an IT auditor or a compliance professional, this guide is your ultimate resource for identifying risks, improving processes, and enhancing resilience.
📥 Join the discussion in our Telegram channel for updates and insights. Let’s audit smarter, not harder!
Thank you for your continued support! 💡
#ITAudit #PatreonExclusive #Compliance #GRC #Security

🔹 Strengthening Docker Security: A Practical IT Audit Guide 🔹

🚀 Securing your Docker environment is no longer optional—it’s essential. Whether you’re an IT auditor, security specialist, or system administrator, misconfigurations can lead to serious security risks, exposing your organisation to attacks.

This post introduces a structured Docker security checklist covering seven key security domains—a must-have tool for conducting IT security audits.

📌 Why This Checklist Matters for IT Auditors

A single misconfiguration can put your entire system at risk. Some common vulnerabilities include:

❌ Running containers as root, increasing the risk of privilege escalation.
❌ Excessive permissions on files and directories, allowing unauthorised modifications.
❌ Exposing unnecessary network ports, making it easier for attackers to infiltrate.
❌ Mounting sensitive host directories, giving containers access to critical system files.

🔹 Our Docker security checklist is designed to help IT auditors identify and remediate these risks quickly and efficiently.

📌 Overview of the Docker Security Checklist

This checklist is designed to systematically evaluate security controls in seven critical areas.

📌 1️⃣ Host Configuration
✅ Limit root access to the Docker host.
✅ Enable audit logging to track security events.

📌 2️⃣ Docker Daemon Configuration
✅ Ensure the daemon runs as a non-root user.
✅ Restrict the default seccomp profile for additional security.

📌 3️⃣ Docker Daemon Configuration Files
✅ Restrict access to daemon.json (set ownership to root:root).
✅ Ensure Docker socket (docker.sock) is not mounted inside containers.

📌 4️⃣ Container Images and Build File Configuration
✅ Use trusted, signed base images.
✅ Avoid using latest tags—always pin versions to prevent running outdated images.

📌 5️⃣ Container Runtime Configuration
✅ Limit Linux capabilities—containers should not run with excessive privileges.
✅ Enforce a read-only root filesystem to prevent modifications at runtime.

📌 6️⃣ Docker Security Operations
✅ Enable Content Trust (DOCKER_CONTENT_TRUST=1) to sign and verify images.
✅ Regularly scan images for vulnerabilities using tools like Trivy or Clair.

📌 7️⃣ Docker Swarm Configuration
✅ Disable Swarm mode if not required (docker swarm leave).
✅ Enforce role-based access control (RBAC) to restrict Swarm node management.

Each check includes audit steps, commands, and remediation guidance, making it a practical tool for IT auditors.

📌 How You Can Get Involved

✅ Run the audit commands and check if your environment is secure.
✅ Share your findings in the Telegram group and discuss with peers.
✅ Join live Q&A sessions to gain deeper insights into Docker security.
✅ Participate in weekly challenges to sharpen your audit skills.

🔹 Join the discussion, secure your Docker environment, and become an expert in container security! 🔹

ISO/IEC 27017: Auditing Security in the Cloud

Not all cloud risks live in data centres.
Some live in misconfigurations, unclear roles, and forgotten logs.
That’s where ISO/IEC 27017 comes in.

ISO 27017 = ISO 27001 + Cloud Context

It builds on ISO 27001 but zooms in on how security should work between cloud providers and customers.

Audit Focus Areas with ISO 27017

1. Shared Responsibility Model
Who’s responsible for what?
Check contracts, SLAs, and documentation for clarity.

2. Virtual Environment Protection
Are virtual machines, containers, or storage instances segregated and secured?

3. Customer Configuration Control
Does the customer know what they must secure (e.g. access control, backups)?

4. Administrator Activity Logging
Is admin activity auditable in the cloud console or API? Who watches the watchers?

5. Asset Return & Deletion
Are cloud assets wiped or returned securely after termination?


Use ISO/IEC 27017 to challenge vague answers like

“Our cloud provider handles that.”
Follow up with:
“Where’s the evidence of that in your contract or logs?”

Cloud audits aren’t about trust—they’re about traceability.

Check the file attached

🎯 Core IT Audit & Cybersecurity Frameworks – What You Actually Need to Know
🔐 Whether you’re at a 5-person startup or a 5,000-employee enterprise, cyber risks are real and frameworks are how we manage them.

👇 Here’s a quick, no-nonsense rundown for IT audit newbies and pros alike:

📌 Small Companies
✔ Start with Cyber Essentials (UK) or CIS Controls IG1
✔ Use NIST CSF as a mental checklist (Identify → Recover)
✔ Don’t waste time on full ISO 27001 cherry-pick the useful parts
✅ Focus on patching, access control, backups, and staff awareness
💸 Most tools and checklists are free

📌 Medium Companies
🧱 Begin aligning with ISO 27001 – certification optional at first
🧰 Combine NIST CSF + CIS Controls for a flexible toolkit
📈 Use frameworks to drive continuous improvement and get buy-in
🎯 Think about lightweight governance, maybe start with Cyber Essentials Plus
📊 Map multiple requirements (e.g. ISO, NIST, PCI) into one control set

📌 Large Enterprises
🏛️ ISO 27001 is the baseline; extend with ISO 27017/27701 etc.
📚 Use NIST SP 800-53 for detailed control depth
📈 COBIT for IT governance & audit integration
📉 Maintain a unified controls library comply once, report many ways
📅 Continuous audit, mature risk processes, and integrated GRC systems

📎 Common Pitfalls
⛔ Thinking frameworks = certification
⛔ Buying tech without fixing people/process gaps
⛔ Overcomplicating when basic controls aren’t in place

🛠 Free but powerful options:
✅ CIS Controls (technical checklists)
✅ NIST CSF (framework to grow into)
✅ Cyber Essentials self-assessment
✅ ISO-aligned policies without going for the cert (yet)

📢 Want examples, visuals, cheat-sheets & tips from the field?
👉 Read the full version on Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/posts/it-audit-basics-127797507

Quick heads up for those dealing with IT audits around software development or vendor risk.
NIST special publication 800 218 outlines a secure software development framework that is now being referenced more often in regulated environments.

It is not about ticking boxes. It focuses on how security practices are built into development from start to finish.

Key areas worth paying attention to:
• secure coding practices and how they are enforced
• threat modelling and planning before code is pushed
• verification of code and infrastructure before and after release
• how this all connects back to governance and risk processes

Definitely worth reviewing if you are assessing development teams or software supply chains.

🔗 NIST 800 218 full document

A Tool Worth Adding to Your Audit Toolkit 🧩

Hi everyone 👋

I found an open-source project called AuditKit that’s worth sharing. I really liked the thinking behind it, simple, practical, and focused on automating the right parts of compliance.

It scans AWS, Azure, and Microsoft 365 environments against frameworks like SOC2, PCI-DSS, NIST 800-53, HIPAA, and CMMC. You get instant audit-ready reports showing your compliance score and what needs fixing.

Most of it is free to use. Only CMMC Level 2 is paid, and that’s for teams working with DoD or Controlled Unclassified Information.

If you’re doing anything related to compliance or audit readiness, it’s definitely worth trying.
👉 https://github.com/guardian-nexus/auditkit