Roles and responsibilities of information security auditor

Information security (IS) auditors are crucial to the ongoing security of a company's infrastructure. Conducting an audit requires significant attention to detail and thoroughness, with numerous components like system checks, log audits and procedure checks that need verification and reporting.

An IS auditor is not typically an entry-level role as the job requires high-level skills, experience and certifications that combine basic IT knowledge with systematic auditing skills. The ISACA career path is one of the highest-paying certifications in the industry, with the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam validating audit control, assurance and security professionals.

The CISA exam received an important update in August 2024 to reflect new weighted domains and job practice areas. If you know this exam is one you want to take, check out the free ISACA career path webinar, or download the cybersecurity certification and skills roadmap to explore how to achieve this job title.

In this guide, we'll break down everything you need to know about the roles and responsibilities of information security auditors and how the CISA exam plays into these job titles.

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Information security auditor job description

Not all audits are the same, and the verification process differs across companies, industries and geographic locations. Information security auditors conduct scans and tests to expose vulnerabilities and flaws within an internal system. Companies run these proactive measures to identify weaknesses that could potentially lead to security breaches, ransomware infiltrations and other types of cyberattacks.

Take a look at a standard information security auditor job description below:

• Responsible for conducting security assessments on infrastructure, systems, applications and networks to identify potential weaknesses
• Develop and run scripts on servers, databases, firewalls and clouds
• Evaluate complex processes, risks and controls to identify opportunities for improvement
• Perform and oversee internal control testing and documentation
• Lead risk assessments and develop audit programs
• Collect and synthesize complex data to deliver actionable recommendations

A CISA certification is extremely valuable for this experienced role. The 2024 domain weight updates reflect the changing cybersecurity landscape. For example, Domain 1 on Information System Auditing Processes decreased in emphasis from 21% to 18% in the new exam content outline, while Domain 4: Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience increased significantly from 23% to 26% of the overall exam.

Infosec Skils author Chris Stevens breaks down the information risk analyst career path in this episode of the Cyber Work Podcast.

ISACA regularly updates certification exams to reflect changing trends and knowledge requirements. Refer to our CISA exam domain article for more information.

Information security auditor certifications

Most job descriptions list preferred certification qualifications like the CISA, Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), or Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC).

Candidates typically have basic security certifications like the CompTIA Security+ as foundational knowledge or more specialized mid-level certifications like the Certified Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC).

The mix of certifications is extremely important for information security auditors to demonstrate knowledge, skills and practical application. These industry-leading exams are benchmarks for validating an individual's knowledge, and they prove you can protect computer systems and sensitive data and prevent data breaches and cyberattacks.

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Why the CISA?

• Specifically validates skills in assessing, controlling and mitigating risks within security systems
• More companies are handling highly sensitive data, requiring rigorous testing and compliance with changing security regulations like SOC 2, PCI-DSS and ISO 27001
• Focuses on risk management tools and processes
• Requires 5+ years of professional experience

Why the CISSP?

• Compared to the CISA, the CISSP is broader, going beyond auditing and focusing on all information security domains
• Focuses more on the strategy behind security architecture than just auditing skills
• Requires 5+ years of full-time work experience in at least two of the eight exam domains

Why the CMMC?

• Along a slightly different career path, the CMMC is ideal for those working as government or defense contractors
• CMMC auditors are another type of information security auditor working within government compliance
• Focuses on protecting sensitive government data, as this certification is required by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

Day-to-day responsibilities of information security auditors

Information security auditors spend significant time assessing the organization's information security controls, policies and procedures to ensure they align with different compliance structures. They use automated and manual tools to identify vulnerabilities and gaps such as unpatched software, weak access controls, poor password hygiene or misconfigured security settings.

Information security auditor salary

IS auditor salaries vary greatly depending on the job title, industry, location and experience. Glassdoor reports the average annual salary is $118,739 per year, and ZipRecruiter says it's $132,962 yearly. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual wage for an information security analyst was $127,730 in May 2024. Significant job growth is also expected with a projected growth rate of 29% from 2024 to 20334 significantly faster than other occupations, which highlights how in demand this job title will be in the future.

For CISA-certified professionals, ISACA reports that there are 151,000 CISA certification holders, and the average CISA holder's salary is over $149,000, making it a highly lucrative and in-demand certification. For more detailed salary information, read our CISA salary article.

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Get started on your information security auditor career

For mid-career professionals who want a specialized, high-paying job, an IS auditor is a great trajectory to work toward. Basic cybersecurity certifications make up the foundational knowledge with the opportunity to expand and specialize with CISA, CISSP and CMMC certificates.

Visit the CISA Boot Camp page to learn more about the crucial CISA certification and preview all the study materials, practice exams, podcasts and other learning resources within the CISA training hub.