The First Step in Planning an IS Audit of a Third-Party Service Provider that Monitors Network Activities

A.

When planning an IS audit of a third-party service provider that monitors network activities, the first step should be to review the roles and responsibilities of the third-party provider. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

Explanation: Third-party service providers often play a critical role in organizations' information systems, and their monitoring activities may have significant implications for the security and privacy of the organization's data. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the third-party provider has the necessary skills, expertise, and controls to effectively monitor network activities and respond to security incidents. The first step in planning an IS audit of a third-party provider's monitoring process should be to review the roles and responsibilities of the provider. This includes understanding the provider's scope of work, the services they offer, and the specific activities they are responsible for monitoring. By reviewing the provider's roles and responsibilities, auditors can gain an understanding of the provider's capabilities and identify any potential gaps or areas for improvement in their monitoring process.

Option A, evaluating the organization's third-party monitoring process, may be an important step in the IS audit process, but it should come after understanding the third-party provider's roles and responsibilities. Evaluating the organization's monitoring process will help auditors understand how the organization manages and oversees its third-party providers and ensure that the organization has appropriate controls in place to monitor the provider's activities.

Option B, determining if the organization has a secure connection to the provider, is an important consideration, but it should not be the first step in the IS audit process. Before considering the security of the connection, auditors should first understand the provider's roles and responsibilities to ensure that the connection is secure enough to handle the provider's monitoring activities.

Option D, reviewing the third-party provider's monitoring logs and incident handling, is also an important step in the IS audit process, but it should come after understanding the provider's roles and responsibilities. Reviewing the provider's logs and incident handling processes will help auditors evaluate the effectiveness of the provider's monitoring activities and identify any security incidents that may have occurred.