IT shops that want to ramp up their IT governance efforts and prove to auditors that those controls align with industry regulations might download a free, updated version of the Control Objectives for Information and related Technology, which was made available this week.

The IT Governance Institute (ITGI), a group established in 1998 by the Information Systems and Audit Control Association to advance IT governance standards, this week made available an updated and free download of Version 4.1 of COBIT.

In this version, the groups says it included enhanced performance measurement tips, including performance drives and outcome measures, as well as improved control objectives focused on management and updated guidance around compliance with internal policies and contractual requirements.

"The framework supports IT’s achievement of business objectives, ensures business-IT alignment, and improves IT efficiency and effectiveness,” said Roger Debreceny, chairman of ITGI’s COBIT Steering Committee, in a press release.

The best practices laid out in COBIT are said to help companies provide a framework for IT governance. The standard was designed with business accountability, and subsequent policy and regulatory audits in mind. For instance, COBIT is put in place to ensure that financial systems execute as intended without any fraudulent data or actions taken that could compromise the quality of the data. Such a use would be relevant in requirements around the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

For that reason, COBIT often is used in concert with other best-practices frameworks, such as the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), as a control mechanism to ensure processes are being followed and documented, and that they can be audited in line with regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley. Like ITIL Version 3, COBIT 4.1 is said to include real-world experiences in its guidance for others implementing the IT governance framework.

“COBIT 4.1 is built upon practical guidance from managers around the world who use the framework to improve IT governance in their organizations, so it has been road-tested and validated," Debreceny said.

The new version of the framework is available as a free download here.