The Information System Audit and Control Association (ISACA). Founded in 1969, ISACA is a globally recognized leader in IT governance, control, security and assurance representing more than 75000 strong worldwide members who live and work in more than 170 countries and cover a variety of professional IT  related positions such as, IS auditor, consultant, educator, IS security professional, regulator, chief information officer and internal auditor. ISACA members work in nearly all industry categories, including financial and banking, public sector, utilities and manufacturing. ISACA is a pace-setting global organization for IT professionals focusing on information governance, security and audit. It is uniquely positioned and equipped to be the single provider of the leading-edge products and services needed to be successful and maintain competitive advantage.

Quick Links
• CISA Certification
• Practical Experience
• Career Progression
• Examination Structure
• Continuing Professional Education

CISA Certification
In today’s era of corporate governance and accountability the need to link sound corporate governance with effective internal control and risk management has never been greater. Technical strategies alone are not capable of ensuring IT governance and providing business value. To benefit most from the information that is the life blood of an organization, it is essential to have an IT governance strategy, assurance program and information security program aligned with business goals and capable of effectively managing risk. Employing experienced IT audit and security professionals can help ensure an organization’s success.
Therefore, today’s organizations rely upon individuals who know how to secure systems and evaluate and report on the adequacy of system controls, security practices, efficiency and effectiveness to assure that data integrity is protected and that systems comply with applicable policies, standards, laws and regulations. With a growing demand for professionals possessing IS audit, control and security skills, CISA has become a preferred certification program by individuals and organizations around the world.
Becoming an ISACA Student Member/Entry Requirements
The applicant must currently be a full-time student (undergraduate or graduate). ISACA considers you as a full-time student if you are currently enrolled in at least 12 credit hours as an undergraduate student or 9 credit hours as a graduate student. IT and audit professional are also eligible to appear for the exam.

Practical Experience
ISACA requires the following two requirements are met as a fair conditions of awarding of certification.

• Passing the examination
• 3 years of IS audit related or equivalent experience if 120 credit hours have been completed in a   bachelor degree

Career Progression
CISA is considered a premier qualification for IT and audit professionals. An increasing number of organizations are making it mandatory for their employees in Pakistan. The State Bank of Pakistan has made it mandatory for the employees of all banks IT audit departments to achieve CISA certification. This results in promotion and significant increase in salary.

Examination Structure
The CISA program is designed to assess and certify individuals in the IS audit, control and security professionals who demonstrate exceptional skill and judgment in IS audit. The CISA credential measures expertise in the areas of:

Examination Structure
The IS audit process	(15%)
IT Governance	(10%)
Systems and infrastructure life cycle	(16%)
IT service delivery and support	(14%)
Protection of information assets	(31%)
Business continuity and disaster recovery	(14%)

A candidate is given 4 hours to complete 200 multiple-choice question exam on the above six areas. The candidate is required to score 450 marks or higher on a common scale of 200-800 in order to pass the exam. Exams are held twice in a year in the month of June and December.
Being CISA is more than passing an examination. It demonstrates the commitment, dedication and proficiency required to excel in the profession. To earn CISA designation, candidates are required to :

• Successfully complete the CISA examination
• Adhere to ISACA code of Professional Ethics
• Submit verified evidence of five years of professional information system.
• Auditing, control or security work experience.
• Comply with CISA continuing professional education program.

Continuing Professional Education
A major strength of any professional designation is a program of continuing professional education (CPE) that the individual must follow to retain certification. The CPE policy requires the individual to earn and submit a minimum of 20 CPE hours and to pay a maintenance fee each year. In addition, a minimum of 120 CPE hours must be earned and submitted during a fixed three-year certification period.