ISACA
CISA
Certified Information Systems Auditor
The leading certification for IT auditors, assurance, and control professionals. Frequently required or preferred for IT audit, risk, and compliance roles and carries a strong wage premium.
What's on the exam
CISA Job Practice (effective 1 August 2024)
Information Systems Auditing Process
18%Audit planning and risk-based strategy · Audit execution and evidence · Sampling and analytics · Reporting and follow-up · IS audit standards and ethics
Governance and Management of IT
18%IT governance frameworks · IT strategy and policies · Organizational structure and roles · Enterprise risk management · IT resource and portfolio management
Information Systems Acquisition, Development, and Implementation
12%Project management and SDLC · Requirements and feasibility · Application controls · Testing and implementation · Post-implementation review
Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience
26%IT operations and service management · Database and infrastructure management · Business continuity planning · Disaster recovery · Incident and problem management
Protection of Information Assets
26%Information security frameworks · Identity and access management · Network and endpoint security · Data classification and encryption · Security event monitoring and response
Frequently asked questions
How much does the CISA cost?
The CISA costs $575. US$575 for ISACA members, US$760 for non-members; plus a one-time application fee for certification.
How long is the CISA and how many questions does it have?
150 items — 4 hours.
What do you need to pass the CISA?
450 on a scale of 200–800.
Can you retake the CISA?
Up to 4 attempts per 12-month period.
What is the best way to study for the CISA?
Study the official blueprint, not random material: the exam is weighted by domain (Information Systems Auditing Process 18%, Governance and Management of IT 18%, Information Systems Acquisition, Development, and Implementation 12%, Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience 26%, Protection of Information Assets 26%). Spaced-repetition flashcards built domain-by-domain against that blueprint are the most time-efficient way to cover everything the exam tests.
Program in development
We're building a blueprint-complete program for this exam. Meanwhile, explore live programs across 11 exam.
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