7 Tips to Build a Continuous Control Testing Program
As IT compliance teams face a growing number of cybersecurity controls and increasingly complex, multi-framework environments, building efficiency into internal control programs has never been more critical. A continuous approach to control testing — anchored in a common control set and automated on a regular cadence — helps organizations stay agile in a fast-evolving risk and regulatory landscape. Leveraging AI, automation, and integrated GRC solutions enables compliance teams to reduce manual effort, improve accuracy, and maintain a strong risk posture. This guide outlines seven foundational steps, from understanding your industry landscape to reassessing your program as business needs evolve, providing a practical roadmap for sustainable compliance success.
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- A continuous control testing approach, automated on a regular cadence (e.g., quarterly or semi-annually), reduces resource strain and improves organizational risk posture.
- A September 2024 Optro flash poll of over 1,400 IT security and compliance professionals found that 37% of organizations are leveraging AI to automate and improve internal controls.
- Frameworks such as NIST Cybersecurity Framework, NIST 800-53, and ISO 27001 serve as best-practice baselines for building comprehensive control coverage.
- Key success metrics for continuous control testing include time to identify and remediate issues, risk treatment by category, compliance status by framework, and assessment coverage.
- Automating common control tests — such as User Access Reviews, New User Access Testing, and Terminated User Access Testing — enables compliance teams to focus resources on emerging risks and strategic improvements.