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For the internal auditor, information technology is a two-edged sword. On the one hand, our survey shows that information systems have become tools to assist auditors in their day-to-day work; on the other hand, the rapid, continuing development of new information technologies causes continued worry about new auditing risks.

With the proliferation of portable computers and worldwide access through global networks, some auditing managers feel as if they are constantly under siege. "Security has been horrendous for us," states an internal auditing manager from a large agricultural corporation. "We have a lot of technology, but there is not a lot of internal control." This feeling of frustration was echoed by many of the survey's respondents.

Of greatest concern to internal auditors are the methodologies available to address modern information systems. The Internet looms as both an opportunity and a threat. Distributed databases raise new challenges for security and control. Image systems first used in the financial services community are being deployed more widely.

In short, the role of the internal auditor is changing. Partnership is a constant theme in our survey; internal auditing managers participate in business and information systems planning. According to an auditing manager from a major aerospace organization, "We will teach people to audit themselves and then check the checkers. We will be consultants and partners, and our job will increasingly be the training of others.

(http://www.theiia.org//index.cfm?doc_id=860 on July 12^th, 2005)