What indicates a successful audit outcome?

A successful audit outcome is indicated by overall compliance with standards. This means that the audited entity's processes, controls, and practices are found to be in alignment with the requirements set forth by the relevant standards, such as ISO/IEC 27001. Achieving overall compliance demonstrates that the organization is effectively managing and protecting its information security risks, which is the primary goal of an information security management system (ISMS).

While identifying non-conformities can provide insights into areas for improvement, it does not, by itself, classify an outcome as successful. Non-conformities indicate discrepancies that need to be addressed rather than a marker of overall compliance. Similarly, a complete lack of issues found may suggest that the audit was too narrow or did not cover critical areas. Clear guidelines for corrective actions are indeed beneficial but are secondary to the overarching goal of ensuring compliance with defined standards. Therefore, the true measure of success is whether the requirements of the standards are met, which reflects a robust and effective ISMS in practice.