Strengthening Cybersecurity in U.S. Banks: The Expanding Role of Information Systems Auditors

Posted: Sep 10, 2014

• Hamza Shahbaz Ahmad
  University of Missouri Kansas City
• Zain Shah
  COMSATS University Islamabad
• Neha Aslam
  University of the Punjab

Abstract

This research examines the evolving role of Information Systems (IS) auditors in strengthening cybersecurity frameworks within U.S. banking institutions. As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, the traditional audit functions have expanded to encompass proactive cybersecurity assessment, vulnerability detection, and infrastructure protection. Through a mixed-methods approach incorporating survey data from 150 IS auditors across major U.S. banks and quantitative analysis of cybersecurity incident reports from 2010-2013, this study develops a comprehensive model for evaluating cybersecurity effectiveness. The research identifies three critical dimensions where IS auditors contribute significantly: framework assessment maturity, vulnerability detection capability, and infrastructure protection efficacy. Results demonstrate that banks with highly integrated IS audit functions experience 42% fewer successful cyber intrusions and 67% faster incident response times. The proposed Cybersecurity Audit Maturity Model (CAMM) provides a structured approach for quantifying audit effectiveness, with validation showing strong correlation (r=0.83) between model scores and actual security outcomes. These findings underscore the strategic importance of IS auditors in safeguarding national banking infrastructure and offer practical frameworks for enhancing cybersecurity resilience in financial institutions.