Career enhancement, growth, and success usually drive IT, professionals, to seek further skills and credentials. These days one more thing is added in this ambition, i.e. becoming future proofed, basically being in a job role that is a recession free and being in the game regardless of the evolution in the swiftly evolving world of technology. While we are thinking of ways to make our profiles futureproofed, various courses and certifications cross our minds. CISA is one such certification that determines and provides shape to your future profile in Information Security and Audits, which is popularly a much sought-after and futuristic career option to take up in this era.

Needless to say, that pursuing CISA certification is a very lucrative decision; however, one must thoroughly research before embarking upon the path to any certification, as it cost your resources, time and energy. CISA undoubtedly holds a significant position in the industry and receive detailed information about the course gets you one step closer to attaining your certification, by preparing in advance and in a strategical manner.

CISA Certification: Diving Deep into the CISA credential, exam, pre-requisites, modules salaries and more

Certified Information Systems Auditor commonly, known as CISA certification is one of the most recognized and renowned credentials and acts as a global standard for Business Systems and Information technology for professional who audit, access and control data. Besides, it is known for assisting employers and hiring managers to identify and hire candidates with proficiency, skills, experience, and knowledge including valid competency in managing vulnerabilities, ensuring compliance, instituting content and Information Security monitoring and Auditing job responsibilities.

So, how difficult is to pass the CISA Exam?

All goes down to one question, i.e. how to pass the CISA exam? Well, is it not a cakewalk. CISA exam is one of the trickiest one to crack. And known for having the lowest passing rate. ISACA the body who designs and develop the course contents and offer validation of this accreditation. They administer the exam and they have stopped declaring the passing rate in recent time. We can assume the passing rate somewhere around 40–50% by recent surveys performed and feedback received from candidates both who have cleared and who are still struggling.

CISA Expert

To begin with, let’s figure out:

ELIGIBILITY FOR CISA EXAM:

ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association) needs strict professional and academic eligibility so they have set very stringent criteria to apply for CISA certification.

All professionals aspired to become CISA certified must have:

- A minimum of 4000 actual hours of work experience in full-time positions in:

Information system

Security experience

And control or related field.

However, the candidate may substitute a max. of 1-year auditing, security and control exp. With 1-year full-time exp. in Information systems or auditing.

What All Do I have to learn?

The CISA course is divided into 5-modules that cover the entire scope of IS Audits and review. Each module here with individual professional credits are displayed in your final certificate.

Module 1 — The Process of Auditing Information Systems

You gain knowledge of complying with the highest standards of information systems and provide the best practices of the audit. For companies, it means a thorough control and protection of their revenue cycles, business and information systems.

Module 2 — CISA’s Role in IT Governance

This module assists in developing sound IS control practices and management mechanisms and enterprises gain assurance of best practices which include policies, structures of monitoring, accountability and desired IT governance.

Module 3 — CISA’s Role in Systems and Infrastructure Lifecycle Management

The modern processes and methodologies that modern organizations employ while reinventing the infrastructure component of applications systems are learned in this module. This module trains you in your actual job-role as well.

Module 4 — CISA’s Role in IT Service Delivery and Support

You learn to review the processes and methods applicable to different IT systems. It will deliver knowledge of the IS audit in the event of a disruption. Businesses here gain by hiring professionals who can enact disaster recovery methods and timely consumption of database services and minimize the negative impact on various processes.

Module 5 — CISA’s Role in Protection of Information Assets

The key component of Module 5 enables a professional to be able to ensure the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of information assets while instituting physical and logical access controls and other security measures.

CISA Certification & Training Benefits

CISA certification has impeccable benefits to your profile and the practice and knowledge sessions become the building blocks to this field.

Read it in detail here:

- Demonstrate skills required to maintain security and audit and monitoring in the enterprise.

- Equipped with the skills required to ace the exam.

- Attain actual job-role expertise.

- Validates your knowledge of global level.

- Increase credibility in the job market.

- Receive high recognition in the industry

- Enhance employability and prospects.

- Attain a rewarding and futuristic career.

What kind of salaries can I draw after CISA certification?

CISA is one of the globally recognized credentials since 1978 have certified more than 106,000 professionals and each year the retention is more than 90% and has been awarded as the “Best Professional Certification Program by SC Magazine. CISA is one of the top paying certifications and the holders have an average pay scale of 1 Million (as per latest PayScale data). Find out average salaries of a few roles that are achieved after CISA certification:

Information Security Manager: Rs 1,674,792

Chartered Accountant: Rs 800,000

Information Technology (IT) Manager: Rs 1,448,276

What are the expected Job Profiles upon passing CISA?

The job description remains of an information technology auditor and requires you to see whether there are no situations of fraud, unnecessary spending or non-compliance with governmental laws and federal regulations. Following best practices and preparing analysis reports for management is included.

CISA certification holders are hired mainly for below-mentioned job-roles:

- Information Security Analyst

- Internal Auditor

- Public Accounting Auditor

- IT Audit Manager

- Cybersecurity professional

- Network Operation Security Engineer

- IT Risk and Assurance Manager

- PCI Security Specialist

- IT Consulting

- Privacy Officer and others.

You upon CISA certification reach and meet the international standards of IT auditing and security management and would be highly in-demand among hiring managers and employers. It is worth the effort in every manner this year and in coming years.

All the best!