Which of the following is NOT a focus or consideration of an internal audit?
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A. B. C. D.A.
In order to obtain and comply with certifications, independent external audits must be performed and satisfied.
Although some testing of certification controls can be part of an internal audit, they will not satisfy requirements.
An internal audit is an independent and objective evaluation of an organization's operations, systems, and controls. The purpose of an internal audit is to assess whether the organization is operating efficiently, effectively, and in compliance with laws and regulations.
When conducting an internal audit, there are several areas of focus and consideration. These include:
A. Certification: This refers to assessing whether the organization is complying with applicable certifications or regulatory requirements. For example, an organization may be required to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) if it accepts credit card payments.
B. Design: This refers to assessing the design of the organization's systems and controls to determine whether they are effective in achieving their intended objectives. For example, an internal audit may assess the design of the organization's access control system to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive information.
C. Costs: This refers to assessing the costs associated with the organization's operations and systems to determine whether they are reasonable and justifiable. For example, an internal audit may assess the costs associated with the organization's security program to determine whether they are appropriate given the organization's risk profile.
D. Operational efficiency: This refers to assessing whether the organization's operations and systems are efficient and effective. For example, an internal audit may assess the efficiency of the organization's incident response process to determine whether incidents are being detected and resolved in a timely manner.
Therefore, the answer to the question is C. Costs, as costs are indeed a focus and consideration of an internal audit. An internal audit seeks to ensure that costs associated with the organization's operations and systems are reasonable and justifiable.