Join Telegram Study Group ▷
Both CISA, as well as CISM, are certifications offered by the same certification body i.e ISACA ( Information Systems Audit and Control Association). There would be a lot of confusion about which certification is best. Many people would recommend that you could go for either of the two certifications because they would be considered similar. However, this is not correct. Also, if you wish to have any of the certifications, SPOTO Club’s training courses, are believed to be the best
CISA vs CISM certification: CISA and CISM are two entirely different certifications with different career paths. Briefly speaking, CISA is considered to be the certification for auditors whereas CISM is a certification for information security managers as well as risk managers. According to ISACA itself, CISM would be the certification that recognizes a professional who designs, manages, oversees and assesses an enterprise’s information security. At Present, more than 32000 professionals would be earning CISM credentials. Conversely, CISA would be recognized as an audit professional’s experience for the assessment of IS vulnerabilities, report on compliance and institute controls within the enterprise. Presently more than 129,000 professionals are holding CISA certification.
In the beginning, CISA certification would be also thought of as a suitable qualification for information security managers but the role of an IS security manager and IS auditor is quite different. CISM is not a certification intended for those who are information security practitioners. It is best suited for those who have grown up in the career to be at managerial positions and are making key information security management decisions. So while CISA is a certification meant for hands-on information systems auditor, CISM is meant for those who manage the information security, hands-on professionals.
The domain's knowledge of both the certifications is focused on information security but there is a key difference. CISM is a certification tasked with ensuring the enterprise’s information security whereas CISA is meant for professionals who assure information security controls.
Different job descriptions of CISA and CISM
The job description of CISA certification holders often focuses on IT auditing, controls, regulatory compliance and a lot of time audits of IT infrastructure. On the other hand, most CISM job descriptions are related to information security management, business continuity planning, disaster recovery planning, information security risk analysis, and business impact analysis, etc.
The best way to understand the difference and similarities between CISA and CISM is to read the job practice areas of both the certifications published on the ISACA website. CISA would be having five job practice areas and CISM would be having four job practice areas. There would be some similarities in the content but we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that the key difference between CISA and CISM is that one is meant for IT audit professionals, as well as the other, is intended for managers of information security professionals.
So when choosing between CISA and CISM, keep in sight your main career. If you are working as a network administrator, system administrator or professional with a similar background, then CISM is preferred for helping you become an information security manager. And if you are already one, you can showcase CISM as evidence of your competence. And if your main job would be involving information systems auditing, assurance, and compliance, then CISA should be your choice certification. Your particular situation may also help and it is not uncommon to cross-certify to further boost your prospects. But for choosing your first certification the above differences should guide your path as well as help you out choosing between CISA and CISM.
So, if you wish to have any of the above-mentioned certifications, you should gain the study dumps, which are being offered at the SPOTO Club, for better results.
More Recommended Articles
1. CISSP Frequently Asked Questions from SPOTO
2. CISSP Exam Questions and Answers Free Demo
