What is Zero Trust Architecture?

Today, the list and severity of cyber attacks are increasing, and organizations plan to improve their security strategies. On the other side, the demand for qualified and certified cybersecurity professionals grows. Cybersecurity professionals often question which certification is the best for them to choose, and this question is quite common between the CISSP and CISA certifications. 

This blog is curated with the similarities and differences between CISSP and CISA certifications that would help you pick the best suitable one.

What is CISSP?

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is a prestigious information security certification issued by the International Information System Security Certificatio Consortium (ISC)². It is a globally recognized certification that focuses on security design and architecture implementation. This certification evaluates the candidate's IT security skills and technical abilities with hands-on experience managing a security strategy.

Course Details

Domains and their weightage of CISSP 

The domains of CISSP certification are eight. They are as follows:

• Security and Risk Management (15%)
• Asset Security (10%)
• Security Architecture and Engineering (13%)
• Communication and Network Security (13%)
• Identity and Access Management (14%)
• Security Assessment and Testing (12%)
• Security Operations (13%)
• Software Development Security (11%)

Experience Requirements

The prerequisites for CISSP certification are five years of experience in two or more domains of CISSP and a one-year experience with four years of a college degree, or equivalent. 

Job Roles for CISSP

As per (ISC)², the CISSP certification offers the most common positions, such as follows:

• Chief Information Security Officer
• Information Assurance Analyst
• Senior Information Security Assurance Consultant
• Chief Information Security Consultant
• IT Security Engineer
• Senior IT Security Consultant, and many more

What is CISA?

The Certified Information Security Auditor (CISA) certification is a standard certification issued by Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). It is a standard of achievement that focuses on auditing and assessing the organization's IT structure. This certification validates the auditing skills and abilities in applying a risk-based approach to planning, executing, and reporting the audit programs.

Course Details

Domains and their weightage of CISA

The domains of CISA certification are five. They are as follows:

• Information System Auditing Process (21%)
• Governance and Management of IT (17%)
• Information Systems Acquisition, Development, and Implementation (12%)
• Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience (23%)
• Protection of Information Assets (27%)

Experience Requirements

The prerequisites to become a CISA professional require five years of prior experience in related job domains, a contract to (ISC)² for a code of ethics, and passing the course.

Job Roles for CISA

The CISA certified professionals can get into the following job roles:

• IT Audit Manager
• IT Security Officer
• Information Security Analyst
• Internal Auditor
• Chief Information Officer
• IT Project Manager
• Network Operation Security Engineer
• Public Accounting Auditor and many more

Exam Details of CISSP and CISA

Exam Details	CISSP	CISA
Duration	3 Hours	4 Hours
Number of Questions	150 Questions	150 Questions
Exam Format	Multiple Choice	Multiple Choice
Passing score	700 out of 1000	450 out of 800
Languages	English, German, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Brazilian, Portuguese, French, Turkish, Spanish, and visually impaired	English, German, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Hebrew, French, Turkish, and Spanish

CISSP Vs CISA Certifications

Let's filter out the difference between these two certifications.

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)	Certified Information Security Auditor (CISA)
CISSP certification is issued by (ISC)²	CISA certification is issued by ISACA
It mainly focuses on the functioning of security	It focuses on auditing and assessing the security systems
It is a high standard certification in Information Security	It is also a high standard certification in Security Auditing the IT systems
CISSP certification cost is less when compared with CISA	CISA certification cost is less than CISSP for members and more for non-members

CISSP Vs. CISA: Which one to Choose

Therefore, both CISSP and CISA certifications are high-level certifications and are different from each other, possessing their requirement and value for the career. Choosing the best suitable one merely depends on the interests of the individual. 

CISSP is the best option if you want to build your career in core IT Security Management on most cybersecurity-related matters. If you want to work in audit or governance roles, the CISA is your certification.

CISSP and CISA Training with InfosecTrain

InfosecTrainis the leading provider of advanced security training with certified and experienced instructors. It offers instructor-led training covering all the necessary security concepts of CISSP and CISA certifications. Our courses would help you gain a complete understanding of information security topics and can crack the certification exam comfortably.