Financial Compliance

SOX IT Compliance Consulting

SOX · Sarbanes-Oxley Act Compliance

For public companies, IPO-bound companies and their subsidiaries that need effective IT controls for financial reporting. We scope in-scope systems, document and test IT general controls, remediate deficiencies and support management and external auditors during SOX Section 404 testing.

Reviewed by Santhosh K, Principal GRC Advisor, CyberWave GRC · CISA, CISM, CCISO, HITRUST CCSFP, CHQP, ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor

What is SOX?

SOX establishes requirements for financial reporting accuracy, internal controls, and corporate governance for publicly traded companies, with IT general controls being critical components.

Key Focus Areas

IT General Controls over financial systems

Access control and segregation of duties

Change management

Data backup and recovery

Financial application controls

Vendor risk management

Audit trail requirements

Management testing

What our engagement includes

Scoping of financially significant systems

IT general controls documentation and narratives

Risk and control matrix

Control design and operating effectiveness testing

Deficiency remediation plans

Auditor walkthrough and request support

How the engagement works

Control Assessment

Evaluate existing IT and financial controls against SOX requirements.

Control Design

Design effective internal controls for financial reporting.

Testing & Documentation

Perform control testing and create audit-ready documentation.

Remediation Support

Address control deficiencies with corrective actions.

Audit Preparation

Prepare for external audit procedures.

Timeline and cost factors

Typical timeline: 3–6 months for initial readiness; annual ongoing support. Cost depends on scope, organization size, number of locations and systems, current maturity and how much hands-on implementation support you need. Any certification, assessment or audit body fees are separate and set by that body.

Questions buyers ask

Section 404 requires management to assess internal control over financial reporting, and for many companies an external auditor attests to it. IT general controls are a key part of that assessment.

Typically access management, change management and IT operations for systems that support financial reporting. Weak ITGCs can affect reliance on automated controls.

SOX applies to US public companies, but IPO-bound and acquired companies often prepare early. Some lenders and investors also expect similar controls.

No. We support management and internal audit with documentation, testing and remediation. External auditors must remain independent.

Companies relying on service organizations use SOC 1 reports as evidence for SOX. Service organizations provide SOC 1 to support their customers' SOX programs.

Audit & Certification Support ITGC SOC 1 ITGC guide for IT auditors

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