The Auditor's Guide to Internet Resources, 2nd Edition is the only book on the Internet written expressly for internal auditors. Expanded and updated to include the latest Internet trends and resources, the book provides all the Internet competency skills auditors need to become digitally literate. Order your copy now!  Call 877-867-4947 (Toll free in U.S. and Canada) or FAX 770-442-9742 or email iiapubs@pbd.com  Use Order Number KPR320 and receive the IIA member price. It pays to use AuditNet! 

Available on CD-ROM!

AuditNet Public Service Announcement
Virus Alert!

There has been an outbreak of the W32/Sircam virus that has hit a number of sites. For information about the virus read the CERT Advisory alert. Take appropriate action now to prevent your system from infection or to remove the virus if your system is infected. 

AuditNet Free!

AuditNet remains free to the global audit community because it is supported by sponsors. By supporting our sponsors you are supporting AuditNet and ensuring it's continued existence.

If you support our sponsors you help keep AuditNet a free resource to the global audit community. There are many opportunities for corporations and vendors to sponsor the AuditNet site. Contact editor@auditnet.org for information.

AuditNet Kudos!

AuditNet was included in Eva Lang and Jan Davis Tudors' new book called Best Websites for Financial Professionals, Business Appraisers and Accountants. According to the write up "Audit information is not plentiful on the Internet, but AuditNet pulls together a collection of resources that auditors will find helpful." Helpful indeed! AuditNet includes links to over 1,100 audit related websites, over 300 audit work programs, ICQs, checklists, workpaper templates and more. Most months the site has over 700,000 hits, with an average of almost 45,000 visitor sessions per day. It's nice to be recognized but based on the feedback you already know that AuditNet is THE best website for auditors!

AuditNet Sponsor Spotlight

Galileo and Magique sponsor the AuditNet Virtual Library page of the site. Galileo is a comprehensive and integrated audit management, documentation and reporting system, with optional links to Magique, an enterprise-wide risk management- control risk self-assessment system. Both are highly customizable, modular systems which support multiple remote auditors with comprehensive security. 

Visit their site and check out what they have to offer AuditNet users!

AuditNet welcomes Paisley Consulting to the growing list of sponsors. Paisley Consulting sponsors the AuditNet Virtual Library (provide link) and the Search Page (provide link), two of our frequently visited resources. Paisley Consulting was founded by Stacey Paisley Welu with the goal of providing products and services which improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their business clients. Paisley Consulting offers workflow applications which automate the processes of conducting audits, fraud investigations and criminal investigations. Their toolset offers products which simplify the tasks of scheduling, reporting, and data recovery. Check out their products, ask for a demo, and make sure you mention AuditNet when contacting them.

New Programs and Workpapers 
Added to AuditNet

The following programs are either text format or as indicated. To access the programs in another format go to the AuditNet home page or the  Audit Programs page. 

AS400 Audit Program (Word)
Audit Guide for Web Based Applications
Computer Incident, Intrusion, Emergency Response
Data Center General Controls (Word)
HCFA Hospital Audit Program
Net Readiness Scorecard 
System 88 Audit Program (Word)
Top Secret Audit Program  

Do you have an audit work program to contribute?  Send it to editor@auditnet.org. To see audit programs that auditors are looking for, go to Audit Programs and scroll to the bottom of the page.

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Productivity Tip

Discussion List Netiquette

Using the out of office auto-responder is a good method of handling one to one email when you are away from the office for an extended period of time. However, when it comes to discussion lists (or one to many email) it can be a real nuisance to the other list subscribers. Some general netiquette guidelines are therefore in order when it comes to the AuditNet discussion lists.

If you are only going to be gone a few days, do not use the auto-responder.

If you are going on vacation for a week or longer or will be on extended leave then unsubscribe from the list and then when you return renew your subscription.

Also, consider that when you use the out of office message you may be creating a personal security issue by announcing the fact that you are away from the office (and perhaps your home as well).

This may seem a small thing but it does help cut down on the noise for the list. Also all those out of office messages end up in our new service providing an archive of posted messages.

For more productivity tips order a copy of The Auditor's Guide to Internet Resources 2nd Edition from the IIA

.

AuditNet New Features

AuditNet added new features last month which may be of interest to subscribers and users. They are as follows:

Archives of Past Messages

Many times auditors want to see what prior messages have been posted to the list to see if their question can be answered there. AuditNet uses a public archive service for both Audit-l and AuditPrograms-l. The URL's to reach these archives is as follows.

Archives for Audit-L www.mail-archive.com/audit-l@list.auditnet.org/

Archives for Auditprograms-l www.mail-archive.com/auditprograms-l@list.auditnet.org/

Digest command for Audit-l

Time is important to most auditors and that definitely applies to reading e-mails. If you are looking for a way to consolidate all your postings in one e-mail a week use the following commands. Issuing the following commands for Audit-L gives you a once a week digest of all the postings for the past week. Then all you will have to do is read one (sometimes long), e-mail. Anything that we can do to make your life a little easier we will try!

To receive a digest of messages sent to the list enter a command in the form of set mode digest listname. For example,

TO: imailsrv@list.auditnet.org
Subject:
set mode digest audit-l

To cancel digest mode and receive messages as they are sent to the list, enter a command in the form of set mode standard list name.

TO: imailsrv@list.auditnet.org
Subject:
set mode standard audit-l

Let me have your feedback on these new features and if there is some feature that you would like to see please ask.

 

Publication Offers a Discount to AuditNet Users

White-Collar Crime Fighter www.wccfighter.com the only source of exclusive, authoritative "how-to" information for financial crime fighters offers AuditNet users a discounted subscription rate of $77-- a savings of $20 off the regular rate. 

This is a great publication and well worth the annual subscription rate. I find at least one practical article from each issue that helps me focus on fraud issues within my organization! 

 

Looking to make a career change? Go to AuditNet's Audit Jobs section for the latest job opportunities. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week you have the ability to not only look at available jobs, but you can also post your resume, apply for open jobs, research companies and obtain career advice. If you are in the market for a new job, make AuditNet your first stop to check out what's available.

This is just another benefit of using AuditNet as your one stop shop for all your audit and career resources.

Help Keep AuditNet Current!

AuditNet is a tool used by auditors from around
the world. It is therefore very important that the 
links are current.  If you find a link that is out-
dated, broken, or going to the wrong site, be
a helpful user and let us know. Send an email to 
editor@auditnet.org and provide the details in-
cluding the date, URL of the bad address and 
the name of the site. We will do our best to 
either correct the link or remove it so that all
AuditNet users benefit. 

Thanks!  

The Editor

Software Licenses: Information for Auditors 
(AuditNet Article exclusive from PCProfile)

One of the hardest tasks to manage in the computing department for any organization is licenses for software. Understanding that the software that you have installed is ONLY covered by a "license to use" is a hard concept to grasp. This article covers licenses issues for Windows based desktop and server based platforms.

Click here for the complete AuditNet exclusive! 

Marketing Internal Audit Seminar Soon Available!

Another digital seminar titled "Marketing Internal Audit" is in the planning stage for which we are soliciting information from people who do it successfully.

The CD will be available in the Fall.

Anyone submitting an article, URL not already listed (as a sample), PowerPoint presentation, capabilities brochure, or other material that we use can have copies of the finished CD. We are particularly seeking capabilities brochures and presentation developed by Internal Auditors.

Authors that can author an entire CD can receive royalty payments - contact Joe Pleier at jpleier@pleier.com for details.

ICQ's, Checklists and Forms, OH MY!

In the spirit of continuing to offer new free resources and tools to the global audit community, AuditNet is now accepting contributions of internal control questionnaires, audit checklists and standard forms that auditors use for projects.  The Auditors Sharing Audit Workpapers Project provides you with the opportunity to share your best practice standard forms with other auditors. Send your favorite forms to jmkaplan@ix.netcom.com.

For more workpaper solutions for your audit office check out the following AuditNet sponsors:

Declaring War on Software Pirates 

Save $$ on the 
Software Compliance Auditors Toolkit

Be prepared when the software police come knocking on your door!

AuditNet Users Save $200 - Save $$ and get legal! Check it out!

Employers Seeking Audit Candidates?

Looking to fill an audit position for your organization?

Consider using the AuditNet Audit Jobs area. The page provides exposure to over 17,000 audit professionals every month from all over the world. The Jobs page receives between 3000-4000 hits per month. The cost is low. Tell your HR department about using this option when you are looking for audit candidates. Go to the AuditNet home page at www.auditnet.org and click on Audit Jobs. Click on Post Jobs for posting information.

R.T. Edwards, Inc., the publisher of the Journal of Forensic Accounting offers AuditNet user organizations the opportunity to subscribe at the institutional rate.  A sample article Black Tech Forensics: Collection and Control of Electronic Evidence is available for your review. For more information on the publication go to the discounts page.

CAREER TIPS FOR AUDITORS

Getting Your Foot in the Door

by Robbie Miller Kaplan

Many job hunters confide that finding a job has become too complicated - so confusing in fact that they become paralyzed before even starting the process. It's true that today's job search is very complex. Many organizations
have very specific requirements you must fulfill to be considered for their openings. Here are some tips to jump start the process and mobilize you for success:

1. It is imperative to understand that to be considered for employment, you must comply with an organization's application requirements.

2. While exploring organizations and opportunities, make note of the application requirements for every job of interest.

3. If unsure of the application requirements, search the organization's Web site or call the human resources department.

4. Prepare an effective resume that clearly indicates how your qualifications match the requirements for the jobs you seek. Store it on your personal computer to change, enhance, and modify to target jobs of interest.

6. Don't be thrown by a request for a confusing format. Just take your resume data and carefully fulfill the employer's application requirements.

7. Employers may request a variety of narrative statements or essays. Always bear in mind when completing these attachments that the employer is trying to assess how your qualifications match their job requirements.

8. When in doubt, always use a cover letter. It works as a partner with your resume and more carefully targets your specific skills, experience, and
accomplishments and how they match the job you are seeking.

Good luck!

The AuditNet-L Newsletter includes career-related tips from Robbie Miller Kaplan, author of Sure-Hire Resumes and Resume Shortcuts. If you find these tips useful then check out the books! For more career tips go Web site at www.job-resources.com.

Book Review 

Digital Analysis Using Benford's Law 

by Mark J. Nigrini

Benford's Law, first identified by Simon Newcomb in 1881, states that if you randomly select a number from a table of physical constants or statistical data, the probability that the first digit will be a "1" is about 30%, rather than 10% as we might expect if all digits were equally likely.

According to Mark Nigrini, the author of Digital Analysis Using Benford's Law, the audit technology known as Digital Analysis (DA), tests for abnormalities in the digit patterns and abnormal number duplication in corporate data. Mr. Nigrini does a formidable job of explaining how to use digital analysis in performing audit tests of data.

For the full book review click here!

General Statistics Hits Entire Site (Successful) 727,927 Average Per Day 23,481 Home Page 22.493 Page Views Page Views (Impressions) 150.845 Average Per Day 4,865 Document Views 144,335 Visitor Sessions Visitor Sessions 47,987 Average Per Day 1,547 Average Visitor Session Length 00:11:11 International Visitor Sessions 16.26% Visitor Sessions of Unknown Origin 32.7% Visitor Sessions from United States 51.03% Visitors Unique Visitors 17,780 Visitors Who Visited Once 12,333 Visitors Who Visited More Than Once 5,447

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