Audit Trails and Forensics in ERP Training Course

Audit Trails and Forensics in ERP Training Course

Introduction

The proliferation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems has created a digital backbone for modern global enterprises, centralizing critical financial, operational, and customer data. While offering immense efficiency, this integration also presents a magnified risk landscape, making the integrity of system data and transactional security paramount. This course addresses the critical intersection of IT governance and financial integrity, focusing on how internal controls, specifically audit trails, function as a foundational element of defense. Strong keywords: Digital Forensics, ERP Security, IT Governance, Fraud Detection, Internal Controls, Continuous Monitoring.

Audit Trails and Forensics in ERP Training Course is engineered to equip audit, compliance, and security professionals with the advanced skills to leverage ERP's inherent data logging capabilities. Participants will learn how to transition from traditional audit sampling to continuous assurance using techniques like data analytics and link analysis to proactively identify anomalies, policy violations, and sophisticated occupational fraud schemes. A deep dive into the legal and regulatory framework, including compliance with standards like SOX and GDPR, ensures that evidence gathered during a forensic investigation is legally defensible and admissible. Strong keywords: Continuous Assurance, Compliance Management, Data Analytics, Investigative Methodology, ERP Risk Management, Digital Evidence.

Course Duration

5 days

Course Objectives

1. Master the principles of ERP security and access control configurations.
2. Design and implement robust audit trail policies for critical ERP modules.
3. Utilize data analytics for proactive, continuous monitoring and anomaly detection.
4. Conduct comprehensive digital forensics investigations within the ERP environment.
5. Apply the Investigative Methodology to reconstruct security incidents and fraud schemes.
6. Ensure Regulatory Compliance through effective ERP logging.
7. Identify and analyze financial fraud and misappropriation red flags in transactional data.
8. Collect, preserve, and analyze digital evidence while maintaining the chain of custody.
9. Assess and remediate internal control weaknesses that expose the ERP system to risk.
10. Develop clear, legally defensible forensic reports and present findings effectively.
11. Leverage AI/Machine Learning concepts for advanced fraud pattern recognition.
12. Perform Vendor/Master Data change analysis to detect subtle, high-impact fraud.
13. Establish a Continuous Auditing function for real-time risk mitigation.

Target Audience

1. Internal and External IT Auditors
2. Forensic Accountants and Fraud Examiners
3. ERP Security and System Administrators
4. Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and Controllers
5. Compliance and Risk Management Professionals
6. Information Security and Cybersecurity Specialists
7. Legal and E-Discovery Support Staff
8. IT Governance and Assurance Managers

Course Modules

Module 1: ERP Audit Trail Fundamentals

• Defining audit trails in major ERPs.
• Mapping system logs to business processes and transactions.
• Configuring user action logging and critical master data changes.
• Case Study: Analyzing failed login attempts and user privilege escalation logs.
• Best practices for log storage, retention, and write-once enforcement.

Module 2: ERP Security & Internal Controls

• Role-Based Access Control and Segregation of Duties conflicts in ERP.
• Reviewing security parameters and custom development transport logs.
• Leveraging GRC tools for automated SoD monitoring and reporting.
• Case Study: Reconstructing a purchase-to-pay fraud by tracking changes to a vendor's bank account
• Assessing the impact of third-party integrations on ERP security posture.

Module 3: Data Extraction & Forensic Readiness

• Techniques for extracting large volumes of structured ERP data
• Data cleansing, normalization, and preparation for forensic analysis.
• Implementing a formal Chain of Custody protocol for digital evidence.
• Case Study: Forensic preservation of financial GL data and user activity records following a whistleblower complaint.
• Introduction to open-source and proprietary forensic tools for ERP data analysis.

Module 4: Transactional Fraud Analysis

• Identifying "red flag" transactions using data mining techniques.
• Applying Benford's Law and other statistical methods for anomaly detection.
• Analyzing common ERP fraud schemes
• Case Study: Using invoice data and payment records to uncover an employee kickback scheme involving inflated purchase prices.
• Creating exception reports for unusual timing, amounts, and user activity patterns.

Module 5: Digital Forensics & Investigation

• The forensic investigation lifecycle: preparation, collection, analysis, reporting.
• Advanced techniques for file system, memory, and network forensics relevant to ERP breaches.
• Tracing activities across connected systems
• Case Study: Investigating a data exfiltration event involving a departing employee's access to sensitive customer data.
• Using log correlation to link disparate user actions into a coherent investigative timeline.

Module 6: Continuous Assurance & Monitoring

• Setting up real-time monitoring of key performance and risk indicators.
• Developing and automating audit scripts for recurring control testing.
• Integrating ERP audit logs with Security Information and Event Management systems.
• Case Study: Establishing continuous monitoring rules for high-risk transactions exceeding a defined threshold or occurring outside business hours.
• Metrics and reporting for a robust continuous auditing program.

Module 7: Legal, Regulatory & Reporting

• Legal admissibility of digital evidence and best practices for documentation.
• Compliance requirements for financial reporting and data privacy.
• Structuring and writing a persuasive, factual Forensic Report.
• Case Study: Role-playing a deposition or court testimony based on a forensic finding.
• Understanding the legal distinction between civil and criminal fraud investigations.

Module 8: Advanced Topics & Emerging Trends

• Forensics in Cloud ERP environments
• Introduction to AI in Audit for predictive fraud modeling.
• Auditing emerging technologies.
• Case Study: Analyzing a cyber-incident where a sophisticated external attacker manipulated ERP data via a compromised API.
• Cyber-Enabled Fraud and the evolving role of the ERP forensic specialist.

Training Methodology

This course employs a participatory and hands-on approach to ensure practical learning, including:

• Interactive lectures and presentations.
• Group discussions and brainstorming sessions.
• Hands-on exercises using real-world datasets.
• Role-playing and scenario-based simulations.
• Analysis of case studies to bridge theory and practice.
• Peer-to-peer learning and networking.
• Expert-led Q&A sessions.
• Continuous feedback and personalized guidance.

Register as a group from 3 participants for a Discount

Send us an email: info@datastatresearch.org or call +254724527104 

Certification

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with a globally- recognized certificate.

Tailor-Made Course

 We also offer tailor-made courses based on your needs.

Key Notes

a. The participant must be conversant with English.

b. Upon completion of training the participant will be issued with an Authorized Training Certificate

c. Course duration is flexible and the contents can be modified to fit any number of days.

d. The course fee includes facilitation training materials, 2 coffee breaks, buffet lunch and A Certificate upon successful completion of Training.

e. One-year post-training support Consultation and Coaching provided after the course.

f. Payment should be done at least a week before commence of the training, to DATASTAT CONSULTANCY LTD account, as indicated in the invoice so as to enable us prepare better for you.