Internal Audit Takes On Emerging Technologies

Introduction

The growing risks in technology

With data breaches in the headlines most days, executives are increasingly concerned about data privacy and security issues. The growing use of social media, mobile devices and cloud computing has introduced a higher threat of IT security breaches, misuse of customer data, and reputational damage.

Organisations are turning to internal audit and asking for help on managing the seemingly new and specific risks of emerging technologies.

In PwC's 2012 State of the Internal Audit Profession Study, data privacy and security is one of the main risks identified by senior executives and heads of internal audit.

In this paper, we examine the following threats and opportunities of emerging technologies: