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Governance, Risk, Audit & Privacy · Intermediate

Audit Opinion

Auditor's conclusion on the subject matter: unmodified, qualified, adverse, or disclaimer.

Definition

An unmodified (unqualified) opinion states that the subject matter is fairly presented or controls are effective; a qualified opinion notes exceptions; an adverse opinion states material failure; a disclaimer means the auditor could not obtain sufficient evidence. These opinion types appear in SOC reports and financial audits.

Example

A SOC 2 receives a qualified opinion because one control was not operating effectively.

Exam tip

A disclaimer results from scope limitations, not from findings.

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