IT Controls: What They Are and How to Implement Them

IT controls refer to the frameworks and processes organizations use to manage their information systems securely and effectively. They support business operations by helping reduce cyber risks, ensure regulatory compliance and improve operational efficiency. 

Continue reading to learn more about the importance of IT controls, steps for implementation and how a PAM solution can enhance their effectiveness. 

Why IT controls are important

Here are four reasons IT controls are important for organizations. 

Strengthen security

IT controls help reduce security risks to information systems. For example, strong access controls, enhanced authentication protocols, strict password policies and data encryption protect an organization’s information from cyber attacks. Additionally, implementing and enforcing security policies helps raise awareness within the organization, further minimizing risks.

Improve operational efficiency

IT controls serve as the foundation for improving operational efficiency by streamlining business processes, reducing errors and minimizing downtime. For instance, well-defined backup procedures and disaster recovery plans allow businesses to restore operations quickly after unexpected disruptions. Similarly, restricting access to specific business processes ensures that employees work within their designated roles, supporting both efficiency and secure information sharing.

Ensure regulatory compliance

Organizations must adhere to industry regulations and legal requirements to ensure compliance. For example, businesses that handle credit card information must follow the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) and may also need to meet international standards like ISO 27001. Organizations that process customer data must comply with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Implementing strong IT controls helps organizations meet these compliance requirements, address potential violations early and strengthen their reputation.  

Provide transparency

IT controls improve transparency by offering clear visibility into system activities. By managing audit logs and tracking data processing histories, organizations can monitor who performed specific actions within the system. This transparency helps detect internal threats early and allows for the quick identification and resolution of issues. With a detailed record of system interactions, IT controls ensure accountability and build trust with stakeholders. 

IT general controls vs IT application controls: What’s the difference?

IT controls are divided into two main components: Information Technology General Controls (ITGC) and Information Technology Application Controls (ITAC). ITGC and ITAC differ in their scope and focus within an organization’s IT environment. 

ITGC lays the foundation for secure operations across all business processes and systems. Its primary goal is to ensure system reliability and maintain stable, secure operations. Examples of ITGC include creating security policies, access controls, software change management, data backup and recovery procedures. These controls help protect data integrity and confidentiality. 

On the other hand, ITAC is specific to individual business systems or applications. These specialized controls focus on managing data processing and operations within those systems to ensure that business processes are accurate, consistent and free from fraud. Examples of ITAC include input validation, output verification, setting access restrictions for business processes and ensuring the integrity of data transfers between systems. 

By properly implementing both ITGC and ITAC, organizations can significantly enhance the reliability and efficiency of their entire information system.

	IT General Controls	IT Application Controls
Scope	Entire system	Specific business systems
Objective	Ensures the reliability of the overall IT environment	Ensures accuracy and completeness of data processing
Specific Content	Access control, change management, etc	Data input validation, etc
Impact	Entire organization	Individual business processes

6 steps to implement IT controls in an organization

Here are the six steps for effectively implementing IT controls within an organization. 

1. Assess your current IT environment

The first step an organization should take is to assess its current IT environment by conducting a risk assessment. This helps organizations evaluate their current IT processes and identify potential vulnerabilities that require attention. After identifying the risks, organizations should evaluate their likelihood and impact to prioritize them. Through this process, organizations can determine which risks require immediate attention and focus on where IT controls are most needed. 

2. Define security policies and procedures

Develop a comprehensive security policy that aligns with industry standards and meets the organization’s specific needs. Once defined, establish clear guidelines for user access, system maintenance and incident response. A consistent approach to security management ensures the organization can effectively protect its assets. 

3. Implement preventative controls

In addition to implementing IT controls, it’s important to establish preventative controls, as they actively reduce security risks and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. Preventative measures such as firewalls, data encryption, access controls and user authentication play an important role in protecting sensitive systems and data. These controls help prevent potential threats, block malicious activity and restrict unauthorized access.

4. Set up detective and corrective controls

Detective and corrective controls are designed to identify and address security issues. Detective controls, such as Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), monitor for suspicious activities in real time. Corrective controls, like Privileged Access Management (PAM) and incident response protocols, take immediate action to contain and resolve security threats. Using both types of controls provides organizations with a comprehensive security strategy and strengthens their defense against potential threats. 

5. Continuously monitor and test IT controls

Regularly reviewing, updating and testing IT controls is necessary to keep pace with evolving threats, business goals and regulatory changes. As business operations and risks shift, it’s important to adjust IT controls accordingly. To maintain their effectiveness, periodic security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted. Keeping IT controls optimized enhances both the security and efficiency of the organization. 

6. Train employees

Effective IT controls also rely on employee education and training. It’s important that employees understand control policies and processes and know how to respond appropriately. They should be aware of potential risks and understand the purpose behind IT controls. Regular cybersecurity awareness training helps employees recognize and respond to threats. This not only improves business processes but also strengthens the organization’s overall security posture. 

How PAM supports IT controls within an organization

Here’s how privileged access management supports IT controls within an organization. 

Protects sensitive data in an encrypted vault

With a PAM solution like KeeperPAM®, organizations can securely store sensitive information in an encrypted vault using zero-knowledge encryption and a zero-trust security framework. The vault securely manages critical data such as passwords, access credentials, secrets and passkeys, protecting them from cyber attacks and unauthorized access. Since the data is never exposed to the service provider in a zero-knowledge model, it significantly enhances the reliability of data protection. 

Strengthens access control

PAM solutions provide strict access controls by enforcing the principle of least privilege, limiting access to only what’s necessary for employees to perform their tasks. PAM also simplifies Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) by assigning access based on job roles and responsibilities, reducing internal threats and misuse of power. Features like Just-In-Time (JIT) access and automatic password rotation further enhance security by ensuring privileged access is granted only when needed and revoked once it’s no longer necessary. 

Improves auditing and visibility

PAM provides detailed logs and real-time monitoring of privileged account activities, helping to detect suspicious behavior and high-risk actions. This improves transparency in IT controls and enables quick responses to security incidents. Furthermore, stored logs provide valuable insights for both internal and external audits, simplifying the audit process and strengthening overall security management.

Ensures data integrity

Managing the activities of privileged accounts through PAM ensures data accuracy and consistency. PAM helps prevent human error and unauthorized data manipulation, ensuring that data integration and synchronization between systems are handled correctly. This not only improves data integrity but also boosts operational efficiency across the organization. 

Supports compliance

IT controls must comply with legal regulations and industry standards. PAM provides a solid foundation for organizations operating in regulated industries because it helps them meet compliance requirements, such as the GDPR and ISO 27001 standards. Key features of PAM, such as recording and retaining access logs and creating audit trails, allow organizations to demonstrate adherence to regulations and mitigate the risk of compliance violations. 

Enhance IT controls and security with KeeperPAM®

Privileged access management plays a critical role in strengthening IT controls. KeeperPAM uses zero-knowledge encryption to securely store sensitive information while enforcing strict access controls to protect against internal threats and unauthorized access. It also includes real-time monitoring and audit logs to quickly identify and address security issues.

By applying the principle of least privilege and role-based access control, KeeperPAM helps ensure consistent security policies across the organization. This approach strengthens IT controls, simplifies compliance with regulations and creates a more secure and reliable environment.

Request a demo of KeeperPAM to enhance your organization’s IT controls and improve security, operational efficiency and trustworthiness.