What is one of the primary tasks of an internal auditor?

One of the primary tasks of an internal auditor is to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the operations within an organization. This involves assessing the procedures and processes in place, identifying areas for improvement, and making recommendations to enhance performance. Internal auditors evaluate whether existing controls are functioning as intended and contribute to the organization's goals. By focusing on operational efficiency, internal auditors help organizations optimize their resources, reduce waste, and achieve better results, all of which are crucial for maintaining a strong information security management system aligned with ISO/IEC 27001 standards.

The aspect of ensuring compliance with external standards is certainly important, but it is often a part of a broader scope that includes operational effectiveness. While managing the auditing team is a responsibility of the lead auditor or auditing manager, it doesn't encapsulate the core purpose of internal auditing itself. Criticizing auditee performance is not aligned with the constructive and supportive role of internal auditing, which emphasizes improvement and collaboration rather than criticism.