IT General Controls

In today’s digital world, effective IT General Controls (ITGC) are critical for safeguarding an organization’s information systems, data, and assets. This 8-week course is designed to equip professionals with the foundational knowledge, skills, and practical insights needed to understand, implement, and audit ITGC frameworks within various business environments.

Whether you’re an IT auditor, risk manager, compliance officer, or IT professional, this course provides an in-depth understanding of IT governance, risk management, internal controls, and compliance requirements as they relate to IT systems. By the end of the program, you will have the tools and expertise to assess, design, and implement robust ITGC processes that align with industry best practices and regulatory requirements.

Key Features of the Course:

• Duration: 8 weeks, with daily 1-hour classes (Monday to Friday).
• Delivery Mode: Online or in-person, with interactive sessions including lectures, case studies, discussions, and hands-on exercises.
• Practical Focus: Real-world examples, industry case studies, and actionable tools for managing IT risks, compliance, and security controls.
• Expert-Led: Learn from experienced instructors with practical experience in IT governance, risk management, and auditing.
• Assessments: Quizzes, group discussions, and a final project to test your knowledge and application of ITGC concepts.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand ITGC Fundamentals: Comprehend the role of ITGC in ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information systems.
• Implement Effective Access Controls: Design and manage user access policies, authentication protocols, and segregation of duties to prevent fraud and unauthorized access.
• Manage Change and Risk: Develop and implement change management processes and assess risks associated with IT systems.
• Ensure Compliance and Security: Align ITGC processes with industry regulations (SOX, GDPR, PCI DSS) and implement data protection, backup, and disaster recovery strategies.
• Audit and Test ITGC Controls: Learn how to audit ITGC, evaluate their effectiveness, and report findings in line with compliance standards and regulatory frameworks.
• Adopt Emerging Technologies: Understand how emerging technologies like cloud computing, AI, and blockchain influence ITGC and create new challenges and opportunities for governance and control.

Course Outline:

1. Introduction to ITGC and IT Governance – Overview of IT governance frameworks, the role of ITGC in risk management, and the relationship between ITGC and internal controls.
2. Access Control and User Management – Concepts like role-based access control (RBAC), segregation of duties, user authentication, and authorization mechanisms.
3. Change Management and System Development – The change control lifecycle, implementing controls in software development, and managing system updates and patches.
4. Data Backup, Recovery, and Security – Data backup strategies, disaster recovery planning, business continuity, and security controls.
5. ITGC Auditing and Compliance – Auditing methodologies, compliance regulations (SOX, GDPR, etc.), and reporting findings.
6. IT Risk Management – Risk identification, assessment, and mitigation strategies in IT environments.
7. Emerging Trends in ITGC – Addressing challenges in ITGC posed by cloud computing, AI, machine learning, and blockchain technologies.
8. Best Practices and Case Studies – Reviewing successful ITGC implementations, learning from industry case studies, and discussing common ITGC failures.