Launching Qualys Policy Audit: Setting the Benchmark for Regulatory Compliance and Audit Preparedness
In the rapidly evolving landscape of regulatory requirements, Qualys has announced the rollout of Policy Audit, a solution designed to meet the evolving needs of organizations more effectively. The new system is set to begin on October 20, 2025, with a completion date of January 18, 2026.
Audit readiness has become a crucial aspect of operational risk management, as audit failures can have immediate and far-reaching consequences. The traditional approach to audit readiness, however, often leaves teams scrambling, unsure whether they'll pass or fail until the audit is in full swing. This lack of continuous improvement can create uncertainty.
Policy Audit aims to address this issue by simplifying compliance operations, unifying workflows, automating reports, and ensuring continuous audit readiness. The system allows for the creation of custom QIDs and remediations to proactively close compliance gaps.
One of the significant challenges in staying audit ready is the lack of automation. Without it, organizations can spend between 10,000 to 20,000 hours per audit, with nearly 50% of compliance failures stemming from human error. Policy Audit addresses this issue by streamlining processes and reducing the reliance on manual intervention.
Auditors typically sample controls for evidence, causing a last-minute scramble to find the right IT stakeholders and run manual scripts. This can lead to inefficiencies, delays, and difficulty in tracking and testing the resolution of issues across different teams. Policy Audit eliminates this problem by providing real-time insights.
Moreover, security, IT, and compliance teams often operate in silos, using different tools and terminologies. This can result in misallocated resources when organizations lack a clear understanding of which controls are most critical or which ones auditors focus on most. Policy Audit bridges this gap by providing a unified platform.
In today's world, organizations are under constant pressure to demonstrate security, compliance, and control due to the rapidly shifting regulatory landscape. Modern compliance programs must go beyond checklists, as they enable organizations to move faster, stay competitive, and operate with confidence amid rising regulatory expectations.
To further assist organizations in this regard, Qualys has also introduced Audit Fix, a solution that simplifies the remediation process by creating automated remediation jobs and accelerating timelines for closing critical gaps.
It's worth noting that in 2023, nearly 98% of global organizations are now subject to multiple regulatory frameworks, with 70% subject to 5 or more. In this context, the need for efficient and automated compliance solutions like Policy Audit becomes even more apparent.
In Germany, institutions like Bohl Revision & Beratung, Deutsches Institut für Interne Revision e.V. (DIIR), DIQZ, and DQS GmbH offer various audit services, including continuous internal audits, training and certification for internal audit professionals, certification audits, and regular surveillance audits, including remote audits when necessary.
After January 18, 2026, Policy Compliance will be fully deprecated. During Phase 2 of the rollout, customers must migrate configurations and reports to Policy Audit. All policies, configurations, and reports remain accessible during this transition period.
In conclusion, the rollout of Policy Audit by Qualys marks a significant step towards enhancing audit readiness and compliance for organizations worldwide. By replacing checklists with automation and manual reviews with real-time insights, Policy Audit is poised to revolutionize the way organizations approach compliance and audits.
Read also:
- Ford Discontinues Popular Top-Seller in Staggering Shift, Labeled as a "Model T Event"
- Recorded surge in electric vehicle registrations during the initial half of the year
- Dubai-bound: Omega Seiki Mobility, an electric vehicle company from India, prepares for assembly establishment
- Polestar CEO, Lohscheller, voices concern on the ongoing debates about competitors' products: "Maintain focus, avoid distractions"
