Thank you for putting this together! So many folks don’t understand COSO. What if you titled this Culture? My perception is that folks outside of audit will resonate with Culture more than control environment and culture is the crux of what you are communicating. Lastly, I recommend adding a link to COSO.org for additional information for your readers - perhaps at the end of article.

Avaliar a eficácia e a eficiência dos controles internos em TI é uma tarefa crucial para garantir a segurança e a integridade dos sistemas e dados da organização. O framework COSO é uma ferramenta amplamente utilizada para essa finalidade. O ambiente de controle é a base de qualquer sistema de controle interno. Em minha experiência, a cultura organizacional e o compromisso da alta administração com a integridade e a ética são fundamentais. Para avaliar esse aspecto, observo se a empresa possui políticas claras, códigos de conduta e se promove uma cultura de transparência e responsabilidade. Um ambiente de controle forte estabelece o tom para a eficácia dos demais componentes.

To effectively evaluate the control environment, IT auditors should also consider the organization's risk appetite and tolerance. Understanding these parameters helps in assessing whether the IT controls are appropriately designed and implemented to mitigate risks to an acceptable level. Additionally, IT auditors should review the organization's incident response and recovery plans to ensure they are robust and well-practiced, reflecting a proactive approach to managing IT risks. Regular training and awareness programs for staff can further strengthen the control environment by promoting a culture of security and compliance.

COSO can certainly be used as a reference, as can COBIT. I have used both to analyze processes that, in the end, using a pre-programmed spreadsheet, generated a risk score for the process. It was possible to compare process maturity, create rankings, matrices and leverage the search for improvements together with the company's departments.

A identificação e a avaliação dos riscos são etapas críticas. Utilizar o COSO para mapear os riscos potenciais que podem afetar os objetivos de TI da organização. Isso inclui riscos de segurança cibernética, falhas de sistema e conformidade regulatória. Em minha vivência, a avaliação de risco é um processo contínuo que envolve a análise de dados históricos, tendências do setor e feedback dos stakeholders. Com uma avaliação de risco robusta, é possível priorizar os controles necessários para mitigar esses riscos

In addition to the COSO framework, IT auditors should employ automated risk assessment tools and data analytics to identify and analyze risks more efficiently and accurately. These tools can help in continuously monitoring IT environments for emerging threats and vulnerabilities. Furthermore, engaging stakeholders from various departments can provide a holistic view of IT risks and ensure that risk management strategies align with the organization's strategic goals. Regularly updating the risk assessment to reflect changes in technology, business processes, and the threat landscape is crucial for maintaining an effective IT risk management program.

As atividades de controle são as ações específicas implementadas para mitigar os riscos identificados. No contexto de TI, isso pode incluir controles de acesso, políticas de backup e recuperação de desastres, e monitoramento de atividades suspeitas. Em minha prática, avalio a eficácia dessas atividades verificando se elas são bem documentadas, se estão sendo seguidas consistentemente e se são revisadas e atualizadas regularmente.

Evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of internal controls in IT using the COSO framework involves several steps. Let’s break it down: Control Activities: Identify and document specific control activities related to IT processes. Assess whether these controls are designed effectively to prevent or detect errors, fraud, or security breaches. Consider segregation of duties, access controls, change management, and other relevant controls.

Evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of internal controls in IT using the COSO framework involves several steps. Let’s break it down: Information and Communication: Evaluate how information flows within the organization’s IT systems. Assess communication channels for sharing control-related information. Ensure that relevant stakeholders (management, IT personnel, etc.) receive timely and accurate information.

◼️Integration of COSO with Emerging Technologies: In evaluating IT internal controls using COSO, it is crucial to consider the impact of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain. These technologies can introduce new risks and enhance control effectiveness in various ways. IT auditors should assess how these technologies are incorporated into the control environment, influence risk assessment, and affect control activities. Additionally, evaluate how emerging technologies enhance information and communication processes and contribute to monitoring activities, including their role in detecting and addressing control deficiencies.

Evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of internal controls in IT using the COSO framework involves several steps. Let’s break it down: Monitoring Activities: Review the ongoing monitoring processes for IT controls. Verify that monitoring activities are effective in detecting control deficiencies. Consider automated monitoring tools, periodic reviews, and exception reporting. Remember, COSO’s Principle 11 provides guidelines for assessing IT controls. You can use a control matrix and maturity model to assign scores and determine overall effectiveness. Judgment is essential in interpreting the assessment results

Identify & prioritise risks based on their likelihood and potential impact, ensuring that the most critical risks are addressed first. In a cybersecurity audit, we used COSO's risk assessment component to identify and prioritise risks such as phishing attacks and unauthorised access. By categorising risks into high, medium, and low impact, we were able to focus our efforts on enhancing controls for the highest risks first. Assess control activities in detail, including policies, procedures, and mechanisms, to ensure they are effectively mitigating identified risks. We conducted an in-depth evaluation of access control mechanisms in a cloud-based application. This included reviewing user access logs and authentication protocols.