Technologies and Methods for Auditing Databases

AbstractThis paper aims at identifying and presenting tools and techniques to help perform IT database audit. The study summarizes the issues relating to the national and international IT audit regulations. It highlights the key differences between audit and other forms of economic audit (e.g. financial, internal or statutory). The paper presents the main components of IT audit, namely data center audit, computer network audit, operating system audit, Internet servers audit, database auditing, application auditing, external access flows IT audit (e.g. radio access, access from mobile devices). Practical aspects of the study describe database auditing as an important element of IT audit process. Current trends are presented for processing and storing data in relationship with data storage centers, cloud processing and inclusion of mobile devices as data access terminals. The author makes a presentation of database components that are relevant to database audit. Database audited components concern: file system database, data dictionary, database objects, database customer analysis, data protection and backup system, security and data protection from database. The last part of the paper is dedicated to preparing a new practical approach regarding the audit steps and technical means used in databes auditing. Finally, the author emphasizes the importance of database auditing, of data security and of the need to develop new technical auditing methods which are to be in consensus with the rapid development of Information Technology