CERTIFIED INFORMATION SYSTEMS AUDITOR (CISA)

Advance your career and master the complexities of enterprise IT oversight with our comprehensive ISACA Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) Prep Course. Led by industry expert instructor Chrys Thorsen, this valuable cybersecurity training program bridges the gap between academic theory and real-world application. Students will learn the foundational skills required to comfortably pass the challenging CISA exam, while simultaneously gaining the practical insights needed for day-to-day success in their auditing careers.

In the world of corporate oversight, the CISA designation holds unparalleled prestige. Simply put, CISA is to IT Audit what the CPA and CA are to Accounting. CISAs are recognized internationally as elite professionals possessing the precise knowledge, skills, experience, and credibility required to leverage modern standards, manage infrastructure vulnerabilities, and ensure strict regulatory compliance. As a certified auditor, you will deliver immediate value to the enterprise by offering strategic solutions and instituting robust internal controls.

This curriculum aligns directly with the official CISA job practice analysis completed by ISACA. This continually evolving job practice reflects the vital, modern responsibilities of IT auditors, ensuring your training remains entirely relevant to current global corporate standards. (Note: For the purposes of this curriculum, the terms “enterprise” and “organization” are used interchangeably).

Master the fundamental standards and practical processes that define the IT auditing profession.

• Foundations of IT Auditing: Gain a deep understanding of ISACA’s Auditing Standards and Auditing Guidelines to establish baseline audit integrity.
• The Audit Framework: Learn to utilize the widely adopted COBIT Model to align enterprise IT with overarching business goals.
• Audit Execution & Fieldwork: Understand how to successfully handle Audit Management, from initial Planning to building a tactical Audit Program.
• Gathering Evidence: Master techniques for collecting, evaluating, and protecting audit Evidence.
• Control Evaluation: Dive into Audit Control Evaluation techniques and learn to implement Control Self-Assessment (CSA) models to help organizations continuously monitor their own internal risks.

Explore how modern enterprises govern their technology assets, align strategies, and maintain organizational compliance.

• Strategic IT Governance: Study the pillars of IT Governance and IT Performance to ensure technology investments deliver optimal ROI.
• Enterprise Alignment: Understand the relationship between corporate IT Strategy, corporate governance, and overarching Security Policies.
• Global Sourcing & Operations: Navigate the complexities of modern business paradigms, including Outsourcing and Governance, Outsourcing and Globalization, and maintaining compliance within diverse organizational frameworks.

Learn how information systems are conceived, built, tested, and maintained from an auditor’s perspective.

• Project Planning & Tools: Understand how to gather business Requirements and deploy Project Management Tools (Part 1 & Part 2) to keep implementations on track.
• Modern Development Frameworks: Evaluate functional business Applications and learn how to audit rapid Agile Development environments.
• Quality Assurance & Acquisition: Examine the vendor and software Acquisition Process, learn to review the Testing Process, and manage data integrity using Data Conversion Tools.
• System Controls: Master the continuous Monitoring and Controlling of systems alongside standard Information Systems Maintenance Practices.

Understand what happens after a system goes live, ensuring longevity, security, and proper retirement of assets.

• Post-Deployment Evaluation: Learn to conduct thorough Post-Implementation Reviews and structure Periodic Reviews to determine if a system meets its original business objectives.
• Continuous Upkeep: Oversee ongoing System Maintenance procedures without interrupting business continuity.
• Secure Decommissioning: Master the Media Disposal Process to ensure legacy data is permanently and securely destroyed in compliance with privacy laws.

Focus on the day-to-day management of IT infrastructure, ensuring maximum uptime, performance, and operational security.

• Service Level Management: Learn how to evaluate IT Service Delivery And Support and audit Service Level Management Practices (SLAs).
• Operations & Databases: Understand the mechanics of Operations Management, enterprise Databases, and using Structured Query Language (SQL) to audit data repositories.
• Performance Monitoring: Discover how to monitor infrastructure performance, including Source Code and Performance Monitoring.
• Maintenance & Response: Master critical upkeep protocols like Patch Management, Incident Management, and identifying various Hardware Component Types and Network Component Types.

Dive into the technical security architecture and threat landscapes that an IT auditor must evaluate to safeguard data assets.

• Technical Auditing Foundations: Establish a firm IS Auditor Technical Overview regarding security architecture.
• Security Design & Monitoring: Learn to evaluate enterprise Security Design and build robust Monitoring Systems.
• The Threat Landscape: Analyze various Types of Attacks and look deeper into the mechanisms behind Different Kinds of Attacks targeting modern networks.
• Cryptography: Master the concepts of data obfuscation through Cryptography, standard Encryption, and Asymmetric Encryption (public/private key infrastructure).
• Access & Physical Defense: Evaluate logical Access Controls, identify Physical Access Exposures, secure Environmental Security (fire suppression, HVAC, power), and configure foundational Network Security Devices and Network Components.