Certified Information Systems Auditor, or CISA (as it is more popularly known), is a certification issued by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) for people in charge of ensuring that an organisation’s information technology (IT) or business systems are monitored, managed and protected.

It is a globally recognised standard for appraising an IT auditor’s knowledge, skill and expertise in assessing vulnerabilities and instituting technology controls in an enterprise environment.

The CISA certification is designed for IT auditors, audit managers, consultants and security professionals. In simple terms, CISA is a global standard for professionals with a career in IT in domains of auditing, control and security.

The exam has certain criteria and specific characteristics. It is a 4h long exam, with multiple-choice questions across five major job practice domains:

• process of auditing information systems

• governance and management of IT

• information systems’ acquisition, development and implementation

• protection of information assets

• information systems’ operation, maintenance and service management.

The exam is scored on a scale of 200–800, and participants need to score 450 or higher to pass the exam

If you work better independently, it’s important to use study materials that actually test you on your comprehension of the learned materials. Great study guides will test you on how you respond to a specific situation. It’s not about simply memorizing facts.

Tips:
1. Understand the Core Concepts

2. Gauge Your Existing Knowledge with Self Analysis

3. Design Your Study Plan

4. Familiarize with the Exam Question Format

5. Put on the ISACA Hat when Answering Questions

6. Analyze Your Answers and Read All Explanations

7. Don’t Blindly Memorize

8. Don’t Forget the Mock Exam

Again, don’t forget the mock exam. This is one of your greatest tools for preparing for the CISA exam because it simulates what it will be like for you on test day.

Keep practicing until you are reasonably comfortable with your performance. It is also important to allow time for at least one mock exam, so you can answer the questions in a more stressful (and realistic) testing environment. You can also practice time management which is one of the most important exam testing strategies.