What is the primary purpose of an IT forensic audit?

The primary purpose of an IT forensic audit is to systematically collect and analyze evidence after a system irregularity. This process entails a careful examination of data, logs, and other relevant information to determine the cause and impact of a security breach, fraud, or other suspicious activities in an IT environment.

During the audit, forensic specialists employ various techniques and tools to uncover hidden information, establish timelines, and document findings in a manner that can be used in legal contexts if necessary. The focus is on uncovering facts through a methodical approach to ensure both the credibility and accuracy of the evidence collected.

While participating in corporate fraud investigations, assessing the correctness of financial statements, and preserving evidence of criminal activity are all significant aspects of forensic work, they can represent a narrower subset of the broader objective of conducting a comprehensive forensic audit to identify and analyze irregularities within the IT systems. The systematic collection and analysis of evidence in response to a detected issue is central to establishing a clear understanding of the situation at hand.