Over and over

So many times, companies think of the audit process as a needed evil, something to endure then forget. No retailer would think that about inventory, but somehow we tend to think of our data as less valuable, perhaps because it is intangible. It isn't--- your data is your business. Here is what Brian Cote in SC magazine has to say:

Businesses need to consider data security as a whole, not merely as part of the audit process. This approach not only helps reduce the overall length of the audit process, it eliminates unnecessary vulnerability in the organization—providing a far greater reward than merely passing the audit. After all, if an organization suffers an exploit of security vulnerability, they'll face a far more costly and disruptive scenario than any compliance audit could cause. Without having a holistic approach to data security, organizations are doomed to reinvent the wheel.

An unchecked and unmonitored sytem is a vulnerable one. Regular reviews, tests and audits help keep the safeguards you have in place effective.