IT shops that want to ramp up their IT governance efforts and prove to auditors that those controls align with industry regulations might download a free, updated version of the Control Objectives for Information and related Technology, which was made available last month.
The IT Governance Institute (ITGI), a group established in 1998 by the Information Systems and Audit Control Association to advance IT governance standards, has made available an updated and free download of Version 4.1 of COBIT.
In this version, the groups says it included enhanced performance measurement tips, including performance drivers and outcome measures, as well as improved control objectives focused on management and updated guidance around compliance with internal policies and contractual requirements.
“The framework supports IT’s achievement of business objectives, ensures business-IT alignment, and improves IT efficiency and effectiveness,” said Roger Debreceny, chairman of ITGI’s COBIT Steering Committee, in a press release. The best practices laid out in COBIT are said to help companies provide a framework for IT governance.
The standard was designed with business accountability, and subsequent policy and regulatory audits in mind.