week 6 - concurrent auditing

Question 1

What is concurrent auditing

Answer 1

Collection of evidence at the same time as an application system is undertaking the processing of data

arises from the need of identifying problems on a timely basis

Question 2

Need for concurrent auditing - Explain disappearing paper trail

Answer 2

Concurrent auditing allows for independent data collection separate from the audit trail that is collected from the system app

Question 3

Need for concurrent auditing - Explain monitoring of tightly coupled systems

Answer 3

Systems require continuous monitoring as issues are able to be propagated from one system to another

Question 4

Need for concurrent auditing - Explain increasing difficulty of walkthroughs

Answer 4

Concurrent auditing facilitates understanding as information is stored in a central location.

With computer systems becoming more complex it is harder or impossible to track transactions

Question 5

Need for concurrent auditing - Presence of entropy in systems

Answer 5

Entropy is the tendency of systems toward internal disorder or eventual failure of the system

Concurrent auditing solves this by identifying issues early and implementing preventive measures

Question 6

Need for concurrent auditing - Problems posed by outsource and distributed information system

Answer 6

Auditor can not always be there physically for data collection especially it is outsourced to another country

Question 7

Need for concurrent auditing - Problems posed by inter-organizational systems

Answer 7

Problems in one organization’s IS maybe propagated to another orgs IS. Concurrent audit can prevent this by solving early.

Question 8

What are 4 types of concurrent techniques and explan

Answer 8

1. Integrated test facility
   - Integrate a test dummy with data into the system to test its authenticity, accuracy and completeness
   - Need to decide how to integrate it, what data and how to remove the data
2. Snapshot
   - Take a snapshot of a transaction as it flows through the system
   - Embed a piece of software to system
   - Decide where and when to place collection points
3. System control audit review file
   - Embed software at strategic points to gain info about transaction or events
   - Similar to snapshot but take more info and data
   - More complex as it involves modification to software
4. Continuous intermittent solution
   - Variation of SCARF and used for DBMS
   - When transaction saved to DBMS it is then passed to CIS where it analyze data