Cyber security reviews and cyber security audits are often spoken about as if they are the same thing. There is plenty of overlap, but there are some important differences.
Put simply, a cyber security audit usually assesses your security controls against a defined standard, framework or set of requirements. A cyber security review looks more broadly at your security posture, the effectiveness of your controls and where your biggest risks lie.
Which one you need depends less on what it is called and more on what you are trying to find out.
What is a cyber security audit?
A cyber security audit is a structured assessment of your organisation’s security posture, typically against a particular standard, regulation or set of requirements.
It looks at areas such as security controls, policies and procedures to identify vulnerabilities, gaps and areas that need attention. An audit can also be mapped against recognised frameworks and requirements including ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, GDPR and NIS2.
In simple terms, an audit is useful if you need to answer questions such as:
Do we have the right security controls in place?
Are we meeting a particular set of requirements?
Where are the gaps?
What evidence do we have?
What needs to change?
This makes a cyber security audit particularly useful when you have something specific to assess against, for example when preparing for certification or responding to compliance, customer or third-party assurance requirements.
What is a cyber security review?
A cyber security review looks at the bigger picture.
Rather than focusing primarily on whether specific controls are present, it considers your overall security posture and how effective those controls are in the context of your organisation.
A review can examine systems, policies, staff awareness and operational procedures to identify vulnerabilities and areas for improvement. It can also look across people, processes and technology to understand where gaps exist and which one’s matter most.
The questions are therefore slightly different:
What are our main cyber risks?
How effective are our existing controls?
Where are we most exposed?
What should we address first?
Where should we focus our security investment?
What should our improvement roadmap look like?
For organisations that know their cyber security needs attention but are less certain where to start, a review can provide that wider picture.
So, what is the difference between a cyber security review and a cyber security audit?
The main difference is what you are assessing and why.
A cyber security audit generally asks: “Are the required controls in place?”
A cyber security review goes further and asks: “Are our controls appropriate and effective for the risks we actually face?”
That does not mean there is a hard dividing line between the two.
Both can involve looking at security controls, policies, processes and vulnerabilities. Both can identify gaps and lead to recommendations for improvement. The terms themselves are also frequently used interchangeably.
What matters is making sure the scope of the work answers the questions your organisation needs answered.
When should you choose a cyber security audit?
A cyber security audit is likely to be appropriate if you have a clearly defined requirement you need to assess against.
You might, for example, be preparing for a security certification or need to understand your position against a particular framework. It can also help identify areas requiring remediation and provide a structured roadmap for addressing them.
If you already know what you need to measure against, an audit gives you a structured way of establishing your current position.
Read more about Toro’s Cyber Security Audit.
When should you choose a cyber security review?
A cyber security review is more useful when the question is broader.
Perhaps you have not had your cyber security independently reviewed for some time. You may have introduced new systems, processes or technology. Or you may simply want to know whether your current security arrangements are actually addressing the risks your organisation faces.
A review examines your existing position, identifies and prioritises risks and gives you a clearer view of where improvement is needed. The resulting roadmap can then help you decide what should be addressed first rather than treating every security gap as equally important.
Read more about Toro’s Cyber Security Review.
Do you need both?
There is considerable overlap between cyber security reviews and audits. In many cases, the most sensible starting point is to establish exactly what you need the assessment to achieve.
If you need to measure yourself against a defined standard or requirement, an audit may be the better approach. If you want to understand your broader security position, how effective your existing controls are and where improvement should be prioritised, a review may be more appropriate.
The scope should fit the organisation, rather than forcing the organisation into a standard assessment that does not answer the right questions.
What do you get from a cyber security review or audit?
While the scope will differ, both should leave you with a clearer understanding of your current security position and what needs to happen next.
Toro’s cyber security reviews and audits can provide risk assessments, clear reporting and an actionable roadmap for improvement. The findings can also be presented in a way that helps leadership teams understand the issues alongside the more detailed technical findings.
That last point matters. Finding vulnerabilities is useful, but organisations also need to understand which issues need attention first and where resources should be focused.
Frequently asked questions
Not exactly, although the terms are often used interchangeably. An audit tends to assess security controls against defined requirements or a framework. A review provides a broader assessment of those controls, their effectiveness and the organisation's overall cyber security maturity.
A cyber security audit can assess an organisation's security controls, policies and procedures. Toro's audits can include a tailored risk assessment, regulatory mapping, reporting and an actionable roadmap for addressing the issues identified.
A cyber security review can examine systems, policies, staff awareness and operational procedures. Toro's reviews identify and prioritise risks and provide recommendations and a roadmap for improving the organisation's security posture.
The right frequency depends on the organisation and its risk profile. Toro recommends considering a review annually or following a significant change, such as introducing new technology or experiencing a security incident.
Start with the question you are trying to answer.
If you have a particular standard or requirement to assess against, a cyber security audit may be the right starting point.
If you want a broader understanding of your security posture, whether your existing controls are effective and where improvements should be prioritised, a cyber security review may be more suitable.
If you are still unsure, speak to Toro about what you are trying to achieve. We can help determine whether a Cyber Security Review or Cyber Security Audit is the more appropriate approach.