Big Update to the ISACA CISA Certification – All 5 Domains

The ISACA Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certification is the world’s gold standard certification for IT and systems auditing. It is recognized and trusted worldwide and is also required for many audit positions. The ISACA CISA is one of the world’s most popular and highest paying certifications.

ISACA certifications are usually updated every few years to reflect new industry trends and standards. The CISA certification is long overdue for a change as its last update was in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, audit practices have evolved significantly to address risks introduced with a rise of remote work environments.

Starting 1 August 2024, the ISACA CISA certification will receive a major update. All five domains will be adjusted. It’s important to note that the title of each domain will remain the same, but the content of these exams will change significantly.

Changes in Domain Weight for the ISACA CISA Certification

The weight of each domain determines the number of questions candidates can expect to see on the CISA exam. It also determines the emphasis placed on that domain.

The major change to the 2024 version includes an increase in Domain 4’s weight. Domain 4 Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience includes new content regarding incident management and response, which was added to address changes in work culture due to COVID-19.

The Audit process is now more thoroughly tied to IT infrastructure in the 2024 update, which gives a more coherent feel to the course materials.

Domain 1 – Information Systems Auditing Process  – 18%

Providing industry-standard audit services to assist organizations in protecting and controlling information systems, Domain-1 affirms your credibility to offer conclusions on the state of an organization’s IS/IT security, risk and control solutions.

A–PLANNING

1. IS Audit Standards, Guidelines, and Codes of Ethics
2. Business Processes
3. Types of Controls
4. Risk-Based Audit Planning
5. Types of Audits and Assessments

B–EXECUTION

1. Audit Project Management
2. Sampling Methodology
3. Audit Evidence Collection Techniques
4. Data Analytics
5. Reporting and Communication Techniques
6. Quality Assurance and Improvement of the Audit Process

 Domain 2 – Governance & Management of IT  – 18%

This domain confirms to stakeholders your abilities to identify critical issues and recommend enterprise-specific practices to support and safeguard the governance of information and related technologies.

A–IT GOVERNANCE

1. IT Governance and IT Strategy
2. IT-Related Frameworks
3. IT Standards, Policies, and Procedures
4. Organizational Structure
5. Enterprise Architecture
6. Enterprise Risk Management
7. Maturity Models
8. Laws, Regulations, and Industry Standards affecting the Organization

B–IT MANAGEMENT

1. IT Resource Management
2. IT Service Provider Acquisition and Management
3. IT Performance Monitoring and Reporting
4. Quality Assurance and Quality Management of IT

Domain 3 – Information Systems Acquisition, Development & Implementation  – 12%

Domains 3 and 4 offer proof not only of your competency in IT controls, but also your understanding of how IT relates to business.

A–INFORMATION SYSTEMS ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT

1. Project Governance and Management
2. Business Case and Feasibility Analysis
3. System Development Methodologies
4. Control Identification and Design

B–INFORMATION SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTATION

1. Testing Methodologies
2. Configuration and Release Management
3. System Migration, Infrastructure Deployment and Data Conversion
4. Post-implementation Review

Domain 4 – Information Systems Operations & Business Resilience  – 26%

Domains 3 and 4 offer proof not only of your competency in IT controls, but also your understanding of how IT relates to business.

A–INFORMATION SYSTEMS OPERATIONS

1. Common Technology Components
2. IT Asset Management
3. Job Scheduling and Production Process Automation
4. System Interfaces
5. End-User Computing
6. Data Governance
7. Systems Performance Management
8. Problem and Incident Management
9. Change, Configuration, Release, and Patch Management
10. IT Service Level Management
11. Database Management

Domain 5 – Protection Of Information Assets  – 26%

Cybersecurity now touches virtually every information systems role, and understanding its principles, best practices and pitfalls is a major focus within Domain 5.

A–INFORMATION ASSET SECURITY AND CONTROL

1. Information Asset Security Frameworks, Standards, and Guidelines
2. Privacy Principles
3. Physical Access and Environmental Controls
4. Identity and Access Management
5. Network and End-Point Security
6. Data Classification
7. Data Encryption and Encryption-Related Techniques
8. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
9. Web-Based Communication Techniques
10. Virtualized Environments
11. Mobile, Wireless, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) Devices

B–SECURITY EVENT MANAGEMENT

1. Security Awareness Training and Programs
2. Information System Attack Methods and Techniques
3. Security Testing Tools and Techniques
4. Security Monitoring Tools and Techniques
5. Incident Response Management
6. Evidence Collection and Forensics  

Supporting Tasks

1. Plan audit to determine whether information systems are protected, controlled and provide value to the organization.
2. Conduct audit in accordance with IS audit standards and a risk based IS audit strategy.
3. Communicate audit progress, findings, results and recommendations to stakeholders.
4. Conduct audit follow‐up to evaluate whether risks have been sufficiently addressed.
5. Evaluate the IT strategy for alignment with the organization’s strategies and objectives.
6. Evaluate the effectiveness of IT governance structure and IT organizational structure.
7. Evaluate the organization’s management of IT policies and practices.
8. Evaluate the organization’s IT policies and practices for compliance with regulatory and legal requirements.
9. Evaluate IT resource and portfolio management for alignment with the organization’s strategies and objectives.
10. Evaluate the organization’s risk management policies and practices.
11. Evaluate IT management and monitoring of controls.
12. Evaluate the monitoring and reporting of IT key performance indicators (KPIs).
13. Evaluate the organization’s ability to continue business operations.
14. Evaluate whether the business case for proposed changes to information systems meet business objectives.

Changes to ISACA CISA Course Materials

This update to the ISACA CISA Certification will also include major changes to the Official ISACA CISA Courseware. The Questions, Answers, and Explanations Database (QAE) will receive brand new questions to reflect the current change. The QAE database is ISACA’s official resource for practice questions and exams.

The Official ISACA Study Guide will also be updated with brand new content. Along with the study guide, new instructor materials are going to be made available to all ISACA Accredited Training Organizations, like Cyberkraft starting on the 1st of May 2024. These new materials will include all new practical exercises and group activities to include in Official ISACA CISA Instructor-Led Courses.

Learn more about the ISACA CISA certification by downloading our CISA Digital Guide, Information Card, and Brochure. Cyberkraft is an ISACA Premium Accredited Training Organization.

Where to Find ISACA CISA Course Materials

Choosing the right training solution is critical to successfully passing the ISACA CISA exam. It’s important to select materials that are accurate and effective.

The best solution is to opt for the Official ISACA CISA Training Materials and ISACA CISA practice questions in the QAE database.

Candidates seeking instructor-led classes should only enroll with an ISACA accredited institution. ISACA thoroughly vets each of its Accredited Training Organizations (ATO) and their instructors. ATOs can only use ISACA trained and approved instructors and must undergo a vigorous third party audit to be authorized to teach ISACA courses. Cyberkraft is an ISACA Premium ATO and provides renown CISA courses with flexible training options.

The Cyberkraft CISA Bootcamp includes:

• 40 hours of live instruction with our ISACA trained and certified instructors
• Official ISACA CISA Study Guide
• Official ISACA QAE Database
• 1 on 1 Study Sessions
• Exam Voucher
• Exam Retake
• Exam Scheduling Assistance
• First Time Pass Guarantee

Check out our CISA Course Schedule for more information.