Categories: AI Consulting
Control Audits Review: AI for ISO 27001 & GRC?
Let's have a chat. If you've ever been in a meeting where the acronyms GRC, ISO, or NIST get thrown around, you know that feeling. A slight cold sweat. A sudden urge to check your email. It’s a world of spreadsheets that stretch into infinity, endless checklists, and that constant, nagging feeling that you’ve missed something critical.
For years, Governance, Risk, and Compliance has been the necessary, if slightly boring, bedrock of any serious business. It's the corporate equivalent of eating your vegetables. You know it's good for you, essential even, but you don't exactly jump for joy at the prospect.
And now, there's a new ingredient in the salad. A big, unpredictable, and frankly kinda scary one: Artificial Intelligence. How do you govern something that can literally learn and change on its own? My head hurts just thinking about it.
So, when a company called Control Audits popped up on my radar, claiming to use AI to solve the compliance puzzle, my curiosity was definitely piqued. An AI to tame the AI? It sounds almost like science fiction. But as someone who's spent years navigating the traffic jams of digital regulations, I had to take a look under the hood. Is this a genuine step forward, or just clever marketing?
So, What Exactly is Control Audits?
First off, let's clear up what we're looking at. Control Audits isn't just another SaaS tool you buy off the shelf. From my digging, they position themselves as a hybrid—part expert consultancy, part tech platform. Think of them less as a piece of software and more as a team of sherpas who happen to have some very advanced gear to get you up the treacherous mountain of compliance.
Visit Control Audits
Based out of New Zealand and Australia (with a UK office too, I see), they’re clearly targeting businesses down under who are grappling with these global standards. Their whole pitch revolves around taking the headache out of IT Security, Governance, Risk & Compliance. They cover the big stuff: legal compliance, data governance, ethics, security, and transparency, all while leaning heavily on their AI-powered platform to make the process smoother.
For anyone new to the game, GRC is basically the rulebook. It's the framework a company uses to manage its overall governance, manage risks, and ensure it's complying with all the necessary laws and regulations. Get it wrong, and you're looking at fines, data breaches, and a reputation that's toast.
The Core Services That Caught My Eye
I was clicking around their site, and a few of their services really stood out. They’re not just offering a single solution, but a whole suite of services that seem to fit together.
AI Governance & Security: The Elephant in the Room
This is the big one. The showstopper. Every other week, there's a new headline about a company's AI going rogue or leaking data. The panic in boardrooms is real. Control Audits is one of the first I've seen actively marketing services for ISO 42001, which is the new international standard for AI management systems. That's a pretty big deal. It tells me they're not just reacting to trends; they're trying to get ahead of them. This is about building guardrails for your AI before it drives off a cliff. For any company dabbling in machine learning or AI tools, this feels less like a luxury and more like essential future-proofing.
Taming the ISO 27001 Beast
Ah, ISO 27001. The gold standard for information security management. I’ve personally been through the certification process, and let me tell you, it can be an absolute slog. The amount of documentation and evidence collection is staggering. The idea of using an AI-powered platform to streamline assessments and audits is... well, it's incredibly appealing. It’s like hiring a robotic assistant who has a passion for paperwork and never gets tired. If they can truly reduce the manual labor involved, that alone is a massive value proposition.
The GRC Trifecta and Other Frameworks
Of course, they offer the classic Governance, Risk, and Compliance frameworks. The important thing here is that they mention specific, respected frameworks like the NIST CSF (a US-developed framework that's globally recognized) and Australia's Essential 8. This isn't some homegrown, proprietary system. They’re working with established best practices, which is exactly what you want from a compliance partner. They’re not trying to reinvent the wheel; they’re trying to give you a better car to drive on the existing roads.
Beyond Your Four Walls: Third-Party Risk
I'm glad they call this out specifically. In today's world, your security is only as strong as your weakest vendor. We’ve all seen the headlines about massive breaches that started with a compromised partner or a piece of third-party software. Having a process to evaluate and mitigate the risks posed by your vendors isn't just smart; it's non-negotiable. It’s the digital equivalent of making sure the people you give a key to your house to are trustworthy.
My Experience and What I Liked
The website itself is clean. No fluff, no crazy animations. It's direct and professional, which is what you'd hope for from a cybersecurity firm. The service offerings are laid out clearly, and you know exactly what they're trying to sell you. I appreciate that.
I'm also a fan of the prominent "Schedule Free Consultation" call to action. It’s a smart move. This isn't a simple purchase, and forcing a conversation upfront ensures that both sides know what they're getting into. It prevents companies from buying a solution that isn't right for them.
Now, full disclosure, while I was exploring the site to see their ready-to-use templates, I did hit a 404 page. Whoops. Look, it happens to the best of us, and it’s a small reminder that even security experts are human. The main site navigation worked perfectly, though, so it was a minor hiccup in an otherwise smooth exploration.
The Big Question: What's the Catch? (And What About Pricing?)
Alright, let's talk about the part everyone's waiting for. The pricing. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof. You won't find a pricing page on the Control Audits website. And for some people, that's an immediate red flag.
In my experience, however, this is pretty standard for this type of high-touch, specialized B2B service. You're not buying a $20/month subscription; you're engaging a team of experts to solve a complex, business-specific problem. The scope for a 50-person company is wildly different from a 5,000-person enterprise. A one-size-fits-all price just wouldn't make sense.
Do I personally wish they'd give at least a ballpark? Sure. I always prefer transparency. But I understand the logic. They want to talk to you, understand your specific pain points, and then give you a tailored quote. It's an old-school approach, but for a service this critical, it probably makes the most sense. The catch, if you can call it that, is that you can't just window shop. You have to be serious enough to get on a call.
So, Who is Control Audits Really For?
After poking around, I have a pretty clear picture of their ideal client:
- Mid-sized to larger businesses in regulated industries like finance, tech, healthcare, or government.
- Companies in Australia and New Zealand that value local expertise and support.
- Forward-thinking organizations that are already using or planning to use AI and are smart enough to be worried about the governance side.
- IT and compliance managers who are overworked, under-resourced, and tired of trying to manage GRC with a mountain of spreadsheets.
This probably isn't the right fit for a small startup on a shoestring budget or a DIY-er who wants a simple software tool to play with. This is for organizations ready to make a serious investment in getting their security and compliance house in order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Control Audits just a software?
No, it appears to be a hybrid service. They offer an AI-powered platform to streamline the work, but it's combined with expert consulting and guidance. You're hiring a team, not just licensing a tool.
What is ISO 27001 and why is it so important?
ISO 27001 is the leading international standard for an Information Security Management System (ISMS). Achieving certification demonstrates to your customers, partners, and regulators that you have a robust system in place to manage and protect your sensitive data.
How does AI actually help with complinace?
AI can help by automating repetitive tasks like evidence collection, analyzing vast amounts of data to identify potential risks, tracking changes in regulations, and streamlining the audit process. The goal is to make compliance faster, more accurate, and less manually intensive.
Where is Control Audits based?
Their main offices are listed in Melbourne, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand, with an additional office in Nottingham, United Kingdom. They seem to have a strong focus on the ANZ region.
Can I get pricing for Control Audits online?
No, there is no public pricing information. You need to schedule a consultation with their team to discuss your specific needs and get a tailored quote.
My Final Thoughts
Look, the GRC space is crowded. But Control Audits has a genuinely interesting angle with its focus on AI-powered solutions, especially for emerging challenges like AI Governance. They seem to be a serious player for businesses that have outgrown their spreadsheets and need expert guidance through a very complex landscape.
They’re not selling a magic button. They're selling expertise, augmented by technology. If you're an IT or business leader in the ANZ region, and the thought of your next audit or implementing AI controls keeps you up at night, scheduling that free consultation might just be the most productive thing you do all week. It could be the life raft you need in a sea of compliance chaos.
