Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) is a professional certification for Information Technology Audit professionals sponsored by ISACA, formerly the Information Systems Audit and Control Association. This certification was established in the year 1978. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has accredited the CISA certification program under ISO/IEC 17024:2003.

WHY CISA CERTIFICATION

CISA certification is required for professionals seeking an extra edge over being an auditor in information systems, with audit management and compliance as the core components.

A CISA Certification confirms one’s knowledge and experience in the audit management domain.

It quantifies and advertises the proficiency of certified professionals.

CISA assists in demonstrating the gained knowledge vis-à-vis the level of knowledge required to meet the dynamic challenges of the contemporary enterprise.

This certification enhances one’s professional value to the organization.

It gives a competitive advantage over peers seeking career progression.

It assists in achieving a high professional standard through ISACA’s requirements for continuing education and ethical conduct.

Enterprises demand IS audit professionals with knowledge and expertise which can help them identify critical issues and customize practices.

The skills and practices that CISA promotes and evaluates are the building blocks of success in the field. Possessing the CISA demonstrates proficiency and is the basis for measurement in the profession.



CISA AS EMPLOYERS’ CHOICE

With an increasing requirement for professionals possessing with IS audit, control and security expertise, CISA certified professionals have turned out to be one of the most preferred by organizations around the world. Some of the reasons for CISA certification being the employer’s choice are:

Highly qualified and experienced professionals

Provide the enterprise with a certification for IT assurance that is recognized by multinational clients, lending credibility to the enterprise

Excellent indicators of proficiency in technology controls.

Demonstrate competence in five domains, including standards and practices; organization and management; processes; integrity, confidentiality and availability; and software development, acquisition and maintenance.

Demonstrate a commitment to providing the enterprise with trust in and value from your information systems.

Maintain ongoing professional development for successful on-the-job performance

PREPARATION FOR CISA

ISACA publishes CISA Review Manual (CRM) every year, based on which one can prepare for the examination. The manual is organized to assist with the understanding of essential concepts and studying the following updated job practice areas:

The Process of Auditing Information Systems

Governance and Management of IT

Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation

Information Systems Operations, Maintenance and Support

Protection of Information Asset

The manual also covers:

A map of the relationship of each task to the knowledge statements

A reference guide for the knowledge statements, including the relevant concepts and explanations

References to specific content in the second section for each knowledge statement

Sample practice questions and explanations of the answers

Suggested resources for further study

ELIGIBILITY FOR APPEARING IN THE CISA EXAM

The CISA designation is presented to professionals who have an inclination in Information Systems auditing, control and security and also meet the following requirements: