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What Is a Network Security Audit?

Checking firewall rules, segmentation, remote access, patching and monitoring against a standard.

A network security audit is a structured review of how your network is configured and protected, measured against a written standard, that produces a prioritized list of gaps and how to close them. It answers the question every owner eventually asks: are we actually secure, or do we just have a firewall?

What gets reviewed

  • Firewall configuration. Rules, open ports, unused exceptions, firmware version, remote management exposure, logging.
  • Segmentation. Whether guest Wi-Fi, cameras, printers, servers and workstations are separated, or everything sits on one flat network.
  • Remote access. VPN configuration, MFA enforcement, any Remote Desktop exposed to the internet.
  • Wireless. Encryption standard, shared passwords, guest isolation, rogue access points.
  • Switching and infrastructure. Default credentials, unmanaged switches, unsupported firmware.
  • Patch levels on servers, workstations and network devices.
  • Identity. Admin accounts, MFA coverage, stale accounts, permission sprawl.
  • Monitoring and backup. Whether anyone is watching, and whether backups would survive an attack.
  • Documentation. Whether the network is written down at all.

What you receive

A findings report ranked by risk, mapped to the standard used (commonly CIS Controls or the NIST Cybersecurity Framework), with remediation steps, effort estimates and a recommended order. It is meant to become a project list, not sit in a drawer.

Audit vs assessment vs penetration test

An audit reviews configuration against a standard. A security risk assessment widens the lens to assets, threats and business impact. A penetration test tries to break in. A mature program uses all three on different schedules.

How often

Annually as a formal exercise, and continuously in a managed environment. At Mentis Group, Technology Alignment Engineers audit client environments against more than 350 technical and security standards on a recurring schedule, which is described in what is a technology alignment review. The firewall itself is covered in what is a firewall and do I need a managed one.

Mentis Group provides network security consulting and auditing in Dallas-Fort Worth alongside penetration testing as part of our Enhanced Cybersecurity services.

Have a question about your own environment? Schedule a consultation with Mentis Group or call (866) 901-7808.