With the rising dominance of big data analytics in every industrial sector, companies can no longer ignore taking steps to secure their data. Data breaches continue to rise worldwide, and companies are finding it quite challenging to protect their business data from malicious hackers. Among the various steps that companies can take, business leaders are relying on hiring skilled cybersecurity professionals to secure their systems and networks efficiently.
A cybersecurity team may consist of a variety of roles like security analysts, ethical hackers, forensic experts, security consultants, and security auditors. The information security auditors are professionals who implement an audit strategy for an organization and conduct audits to check if the IT assets are protected and managed efficiently. The organizations set specific standards and objectives which the auditors have to comply with when executing the audits.
As information security is of utmost importance to organizations, executives ensure that the auditors they hire are highly skilled and have expertise in IS auditing, control, and security. One of the credentials that help the hiring managers to find the right candidate is the CISA Certification in Paris. It is a globally recognized credential that validates an IT auditor’s skills and knowledge in assessing vulnerabilities and instituting IT controls in an enterprise environment. This article lets you know what CISA certification is all about and why you need a CISA course to achieve it.
An Overview of the CISA Certification
Information Systems Audit and Control Association or ISACA is an association that serves over 145,000 professionals who span various roles assurance, governance, risk, and information security in 180 countries. The organization aims to equip you with knowledge, credentials, education, and community to advance your career and transform your organization. Among various industry-recognized certifications that ISACA offers, we are going to talk about the CISA certification.
Certified Information Systems Auditor or CISA certification is designed for individuals who want to validate their expertise in IS/IT auditing, control, and security and be a part of the most qualified in the industry. Such professionals are generally tasked with auditing, controlling, monitoring, and assessing the information technology and business systems of an organization. For entry-level or mid-career professionals, this credential can assert that you are capable of applying a risk-based approach to planning, executing, and reporting on audit engagements.
Some of the interesting facts related to the CISA certification are:
- There are over 151,000 certification holders reaping the many benefits of getting CISA certified.
- The average base pay of CISA holders is over $110,000 in the US.
- CISA is accredited by ANSI under ISO/IEC 17024:2012
- Certification Holders witness around 70% on-the-job performance improvement.
- Companies that hire CISA certification holders have 90% more effective teams.
The CISA certification exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions to be attempted in 240 minutes. The exam proves your expertise in the following work-related areas:
- Information Systems Auditing Process
- Governance and Management of IT
- Information Systems Acquisition, Development, and Implementation
- Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience
- Protection of Information Assets
Eligibility Requirements
There are certain requirements that you need to fulfill to become CISA certified, as follows:
- Qualify for the CISA certification exam
- Adhere to the Code of Professional Ethics
- Adhere to the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Policy
- Comply with the Information Systems Auditing Standards
- Demonstrate the required minimum work experience
- At least five years of professional work experience is required, which must be gained within the ten-year period preceding the application date for certification. Participants have five-years from the passing date to apply for the certification.
Now that you have a clear idea of the CISA certification, you can consider pursuing it to take your career ahead.
Preparation for the CISA Certification
What makes CISA certification so popular is that it is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The ISO/IEC 17024, under which the CISA certification is accredited, is described by ANSI as “expected to play a prominent role in facilitating global
standardization of the certification community, increasing mobility among countries, enhancing
public safety and protecting consumers.”
With such recognition, you can conclude that the CISA certification exam would require your dedicated efforts and seriousness towards passing it. The difficulty increases if you are a working professional and can’t study on your own. There are some reliable training providers who can address such issues of the applicants. They offer online courses for CISA certification that can easily fit into your occupied routine. The entire syllabus is divided into small chunks, and following these short video modules is relatively comfortable.
Moreover, you don’t need to worry about any study materials as industry experts would guide you, and you can get the recorded session for future reference. Other participants also attend such sessions, and you get a chance to communicate with them and understand their approach to preparing for the exam. So, we recommend that you consider taking an online CISA course to increase your chances of passing the exam in a single attempt. The world is wide open for professionals skilled in cybersecurity, and you’ll find great career opportunities to work as an IT auditor. A CISA certification will keep you ahead of your peers and will also enhance your earning potential.
