An external audit of your systems provides:

Question

Options

• AUninterested 3rd party review
• BSeparation of duties
• CDue diligence
• DAll of the above

• A
  7% (2)
• B
  3% (1)
• C
  14% (4)
• D
  76% (22)

Explanation

All three individual options accurately describe what an external audit provides, making "All of the above" the only complete answer. An external auditor is an uninterested third party precisely because they have no stake in the outcome - their independence eliminates bias and conflicts of interest. This independence also enforces separation of duties, since the people performing the review are entirely separate from those responsible for the systems being reviewed. Finally, commissioning such an audit demonstrates due diligence - showing that an organization is taking reasonable, proactive steps to verify its security posture.

Choosing A, B, or C alone would be incomplete, not incorrect - each describes a real benefit of external audits, but none captures the full picture on its own.

Memory tip: Think of external audits as the "3-for-1 deal" in security governance - one action (hiring an outside auditor) simultaneously buys you independence, role separation, and documented due care. When you see "all of the above" with three individually valid statements, that's your signal.

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