In today’s challenging business landscape where everything is focused on the cloud, and with the rise in digital transformation across all industries, working professionals need to improve their skill set in IT security aspects. Also, considering a drastic increase in security breaches worldwide, it is critical for IT professionals to upskill to stay relevant in a competitive market. When it comes to IT Security certifications, there are many certifications available in the market, but CRISC is one of the popular certifications. In its article let us try to answer the question, ‘What is CRISC Certification?’
What Is CRISC Certification?
The CRISC stands for becoming Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control. The certification is a thorough and complete evaluation of the proficiency of IT professionals in risk management. Other employees besides IT professionals who work in an IT organization or financial institute can also benefit from this certification. This qualification gives professionals the expertise they need for efficient risk management in their organization and upskills themselves with the certification.
Certified individuals are able to expertly aid organizations with their high level of technical understanding of business risk. This knowledge is then implemented with the safety and efficiency of IT security models, controls, and processes. This certification is growing in popularity as well as demand. In 2017, there were only 20,000 certified professionals with a CRISC certification making an average salary of $130,000 a year in the USA. The number of certified individuals is only rising, and so is the demand for making this certification a lucrative career option. As of 2020, a CRISC-certified professional makes upwards of $146,000 a year and has been ranked as one of the highest-paying certifications in the information technology sector.
Who Is The CRISC Certification For?
CRISC certification is not just for IT professionals. Working professionals from various fields can benefit from this certification. Some of the professions that tend to complete their CRISC certification are as follows:
- Risk professionals
- Compliance professionals
- IT professionals
- Business analysts
- Project Managers
- Control professionals
CRISC Certification Requirements/ Prerequisites
There are certain prerequisites for applicants who want to obtain their CRISC certification stated by ISACA. The applicants need to match the following criteria:
- Have at least 3 years of experience with risk management and information systems in IT in two of the four domains listed
- Candidates need to take the CRISC examination and pass it to be applicable for the certification
- Everyone with a CRISC certification needs to sign a Code of Professional Ethics, and applicants need to follow the same
- There is a Continuous Professional Education (CPE) Policy in place for aspiring CRISC certificate professionals which determines the competency of the certificate holders over time, separates the qualified professionals from the unqualified ones, and also help the management create criteria for hiring and development. Candidates need to adhere to the CPE policy and earn at least 20 contact hours a year along with a minimum of 120 contact hours for three years
How to Become A CRISC Certified Professional?
There are a series of steps outlined by ISACA that are necessary to fulfill, to get a CRISC certification. The steps come with a series of guidelines as well that help with completion and obtaining the certification. The steps to obtain a CRISC certification are listed below.
How To Register For The CRISC exam?
The first step in registering for the exam is to select the certification from the website. Applicants need to go to the ISACA website and create an account and accept all the terms and conditions set up by ISACA. After which aspiring candidates will get asked for certain details and be asked to schedule their examination for the CRISC certification.
How To Prepare For The CRISC Certification Exam?
Once the applicants have completed the registration process, they will become eligible to register for the examination. They will receive a Candidates Guide to help them with details regarding the dates, deadlines, registration details, and rules for the examination.
Candidates, once registered, will have to schedule a testing appointment. They will also have access to the CRISC Exam Study Community where they can communicate with other applicants and share notes and experiences. This helps with the preparation for the CRISC examination.
CRISC Exam Format
There are 200 questions given to the candidates which they need to complete in a span of four hours. The exam is scored on a scale that ranges between 200 and 800, and the minimum requirement to pass this examination and become eligible for a CRISC certification is 450. Once they receive their scores, candidates can start their application process.
Application For The CRISC Certification
Once the examination results are out, candidates have a five-year window to apply for their certification. In case applicants miss this deadline, they will have to appear for the examination again to be applicable for the certification.
Another aspect ISACA looks into is work experience. The minimum three-year work experience needs to be verified by the employees and has to have taken place in a ten-year gap before appearing for the certification examination or in the five-year window after the examination results come out for it to be valid.
In case a candidate meets all the requirements and still gets the CRISC certification denied, it is possible for them to appeal for the decision to be reconsidered.
How To Maintain & Keep The CRISC Certification
There is a set of compulsory 120 hours CPE periods that need to be completed within 3 years of obtaining the CRISC certification in the policy set by ISACA. All certificate holders need to do at least 20 hours every year for three years, and also a minimum of 120 hours of CPE activities to keep their certification. There has to be thorough documentation of the activities maintained by the certificate holder as well.
There are also annual CPE maintenance fees that need to be submitted to ISACA and they are required to uphold the guidelines of Professional Ethics provided by ISACA.
Career Benefits Of CRISC Certification
Working professionals with a CRISC certification have a complete understanding of the risks that come in the IT sector and how to mitigate and manage them effectively. They are trained and become experts in creating various strategies to handle these situations or prevent them altogether. Certified CRISC professionals are a great asset to any organization. Some of the benefits that come with a CRISC certification are as follows:
- Professionals become experts in risk management
- Professionals can increase the value they add to any organization
- Certified individuals are held in high regard because of their code of conduct regarding Professional Ethics
- Certified professionals also automatically become a part of an extremely lucrative and global community of ISACA certificate holders
Final Thoughts
There is not going to be a decline in the number of risks organizations can face in today’s age. In fact, the risks will only keep on increasing. With a CRISC certification, organizations can efficiently prepare to avoid, prevent, and mitigate risks whenever needed.
Risk management is a top priority for companies and professionals who are certified to manage risks are considered to be extremely valuable today.
