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Qualys Enhances Compliance with Policy Audit for Seamless Audit Readiness

In a significant step toward improving compliance efficiency, Qualys, Inc. (NASDAQ: QLYS) has unveiled its latest feature, Policy Audit. This innovation aims to transform the traditional audit landscape by automating numerous manual processes that organizations currently face during compliance checks. With increasing regulations and the complexities of various frameworks, Qualys has introduced a solution that not only supports businesses but also safeguards them against potential audit failures.

Streamlining Compliance and Reducing Costs

With nearly 70% of service organizations contending with more than six regulatory frameworks, the need for an efficient compliance strategy has never been more apparent. Qualys Policy Audit is designed to ease this burden by automating evidence collection, significantly reducing the time spent on manual audit preparation. By deploying state-of-the-art automation, this feature expedites the remediation process and provides organizations with a streamlined, continuous audit readiness.

Avoiding Compliance Pitfalls

In the face of misconfigurations that often lead to non-compliance and hefty penalties, companies require a robust tool that minimizes human error. Qualys Policy Audit aids organizations in avoiding security breaches by automatically mapping compliance evidence to several key frameworks, including PCI DSS 4.0, DORA, NIST, and FedRAMP. With more than 1,000 out-of-the-box policies and coverage of over 450 technologies, this tool is essential for businesses aiming for continuous compliance.

Sandeep Khanna, CISO at UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India), articulated the effectiveness of integrating Qualys into operational workflows by stating, "The seamless collaboration brought by Policy Audit enhances our compliance management and offers a real-time view across multiple regulatory mandates. This has proven to be instrumental in proactive risk management."

Achieving Continuous Audit Readiness

Continuous Audit Readiness is at the core of the Policy Audit’s promise. With real-time views of compliance posture and ongoing evidence collection, organizations can significantly reduce the audit failure rate by up to 95%. This proactive approach means businesses can mitigate risks of hefty fines for non-compliance while remaining perpetually prepared for audits.

Identifying and Prioritizing Risks

Qualys leverages its innovative TruRisk product in conjunction with Policy Audit to map compliance and data privacy risks effectively. This tool helps in prioritizing critical misconfigurations based on factors such as asset exposure and threat levels, ensuring that resources are focused on addressing the most significant vulnerabilities first.

Enhancing Audit Operations

The introduction of automated IT Service Management (ITSM) workflows as part of the Policy Audit ensures that all relevant information reaches the correct stakeholders in a timely manner. Integration with Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance (GRC) tools further enhances visibility and simplifies compliance tracking. This means faster remediation efforts, leading to reduced exposure to breaches.

Simplified Reporting

Qualys also recognizes the need for efficient reporting in the audit process. With Policy Audit, multiple reports are automatically created from a single data collection point. Leveraging over 90 pre-mapped mandates, these customizable audit-ready reports streamline compliance audits and are particularly useful for executives and stakeholders, ultimately leading to a decrease in overall audit costs by 50%.

CEO Insights

Sumedh Thakar, president and CEO of Qualys, notes the increasing complexity of compliance mandates: "Organizations are struggling with intricate regulations, limited resources, and manual processes, which often lead to costly errors. Policy Audit converts audits from a stressful chore into a seamless automated journey, allowing teams to enhance their effectiveness while ensuring perpetual readiness."

The Introduction of Audit Fix

To complement the Policy Audit, Qualys is also launching Audit Fix. This optional add-on empowers users to tackle audit findings preemptively using a comprehensive set of predefined scripts and policies that can integrate into Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. With customizable remediation workflows, this tool significantly lessens breach exposure and speeds up compliance processes.

Availability

Qualys Policy Audit is set to become available in Q2 2025. Interested parties are encouraged to explore a 30-day trial via the Qualys website and are invited to read more about this innovation in their new blog post or through upcoming webinars.

Qualys continues to establish itself as a leader in the field with over 10,000 subscription customers worldwide, demonstrating its commitment to enhancing organizational security and compliance across various industries. For firms navigating the evolving landscape of regulatory mandates, adopting solutions like Policy Audit represents a step towards efficient and effective compliance management.

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