Rockland Professional Services provides IT risk assessment services to clients. Their methodology involves 4 phases: 1) Understanding the business, 2) Identifying the IT universe, 3) Conducting a risk assessment, and 4) Preparing a report. They identify critical applications and infrastructure, assess risks based on impact and likelihood, and produce a risk heat map and IT audit plan to summarize the results.

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IT Risk Assessments
Developing the IT Audit Plan

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2. Identify the IT Universe
Methodology
1. Understand the Business
3. Conduct the Risk Assessment
4. Prepare the Report
Introduction
IT Risk Assessments
Table of Contents

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IT Risk Assessments
Introduction
Rockland Professional Services, LLC ("Rockland Pros"​) is a consulting firm that assists clients who
face challenges with finance, business operations, and technology. Our core services include
Internal Audit, Business & IT Advisory, Cyber Security, Data Privacy, and Regulatory Compliance.
Rockland Pros performs IT risk assessments through the use of its standard methodology, which
aligns with standards and guidelines set forth by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).
To develop the risk-based plan, the chief audit
executive consults with senior management and
the board and obtains an understanding of the
organization’s strategies, key business objectives,
associated risks, and risk management
processes. The chief audit executive must review
and adjust the plan, as necessary, in response to
changes in the organization’s business, risks,
operations, programs, systems, and controls.
~ Revised Standards, Effective 1 January 2017

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IT Risk Assessments
Methodology
Our IT risk assessment methodology enables the internal audit function to understand the
organization and the level of IT support received, define and understand the IT environment, identify
the role of risk assessment in determining the IT universe, and formalize the IT audit plan.
Our systematic process is based on several industry standards and frameworks (e.g., COSO,
COBIT, NIST, ISO, ITIL), and is divided into the four phases depicted below.
Understand the
Business
• Understand the
organization’s strategies
and key business
objectives.
• Understand how the
organization structures
its business operations.
• Understand how the
organization structures
the IT service support
model.
• Obtain agreement on
how the organization
structures its business
operations and IT service
support model.
Identify the
IT Universe
• Identify the applications
used to support the
critical business
operations.
• Identify the infrastructure
used to support the
critical applications.
• Identify the current IT
projects and initiatives.
• Obtain agreement on the
scope of the IT Universe.
Conduct the
Risk Assessment
• Assess the critical
applications based on a
standard set of risk
factors.
• Assess the supporting
infrastructure based on a
standard set of risk
factors.
• Assess the IT processes
based on a standard set
of risk factors.
• Assess the
organization’s project
management capabilities
based on a standard set
of risk factors.
• Obtain agreement on the
results of the risk
assessment (i.e.,
significance, likelihood).
Prepare the
Report
• Summarize the critical
data obtained through
out the IT risk
assessment.
• Prepare a risk heat map.
• Draft an IT audit plan.
• Obtain agreement on the
final report.

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IT Risk Assessments
Understanding the Business
Understand the
Business
Identify the
IT Universe
Conduct the
Risk Assessment
Prepare the
Report
The first phase in conducting the IT risk
assessment is to understand the
business. This includes the strategies,
objectives, and business models – which
create unique business risks for each
organization.
During this phase, Rockland Pros
conducts interviews with key
stakeholders within the business and IT
functions in order to understand the
overall structure of the company’s
operations and its support models.
Rockland Pros works with management
to identify the critical business
processes and the IT processes
implemented to support the
organization’s strategies and objectives.
Global Technology Audit Guide: Developing the IT Audit Plan. Figure adapted and revised
from: IT Control Objectives for Sarbanes- Oxley, 2nd Ed., used by permission of the IT
Governance Institute (ITGI). ©2006 ITGI.

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IT Risk Assessments
Identify the IT Universe
The next phase of the IT audit risk assessment is to identify the IT universe. This includes
the information systems employed to support the critical business processes, and the
significant projects undertaken to achieve the strategies and objectives of the organization.
Rockland Pros identifies the applications, infrastructure and projects that make up the IT
universe. Information gathering takes place through one or more of the following activities:
This inventory, which includes a mapping of the applications to the critical business processes,
becomes the foundation for conducting the risk assessment.
Review
Documentation
Conduct
Interviews
Facilitate
Workshops
Submit
Questionnaires
Identify the
IT Universe
Understand the
Business
Identify the
IT Universe
Conduct the
Risk Assessment
Prepare the
Report

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IT Risk Assessments
Conduct the Risk Assessment
Understand the
Business
Identify the
IT Universe
Conduct the
Risk Assessment
Prepare the
Report
The third phase of the IT risk assessment is to conduct the risk
assessment using a standardized approach, designed to
measure the level of risk associated with the IT universe based on
impact and likelihood.
Rockland Pros assesses the critical applications,
infrastructure, IT processes, and projects using a standard
set of risk criteria.
Impact and likelihood is measured using a high, medium and low
scale – averaged across each of the risk criteria in order to
calculate a weighted risk score and determine the inherent risk.
Criteria
System Changes
Availability / Stability
Sensitivity
Complexity
Level of Customization
Transaction Volume
Criteria
Reliability / Consistency
Technology Leverage
Results Management
Resource Skill Level
Complexity / Coordination Level
Criteria
Criticality
Project Management Experience
Executive Ownership
Process & Control Re-
engineering
Development Platform
Project Budget
Criteria
Strategic
Operational
Legal / Regulatory Compliance
Financial Reporting
Financial Exposure
Business Risk Factor Ranking Criteria
Applications and Infrastructure Risk Ranking Criteria
IT Processes - Risk Ranking Criteria
IT Projects - Risk Ranking Criteria
Risk Ranking Weight
20%
15%
20%
15%
15%
15%
Risk Ranking Weight
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
Risk Ranking Weight
20%
10%
10%
20%
20%
20%
Risk Ranking Weight
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
Business Risk Factor Ranking Criteria
Applications and Infrastructure Risk Ranking Criteria
IT Processes - Risk Ranking Criteria
IT Projects - Risk Ranking Criteria

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IT Risk Assessments
Prepare the Report
Understand the
Business
Identify the
IT Universe
Conduct the
Risk Assessment
Prepare the
Report
At the completion of the IT risk assessment,
Rockland Pros prepares a report containing the
following:
• An overview of the risk assessment,
including the approach and methodology.
• The IT universe – inventory of the
applications, infrastructure, IT processes
and projects.
• Risk heat maps that compare likelihood
and impact of the IT universe.
• Interviewee list of personnel who
participated in the risk assessment.
• The risk criteria used to conduct the
assessment.

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Contact Information
Brian T Campbell
Managing Partner
Office: 845.418.4829
Mobile: 917.623.5679
E-mail: brian.campbell@rocklandpros.com