The CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) certification is defined as a professionally advanced qualification that demonstrates that a candidate holds the required knowledge and expertise necessary to create and administer a company’s information security strategy.

Balsam IT’s Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) course assists students to validate their competence and understanding of the connection between an information security management system and the larger business objectives. The qualification also confirms that the candidate has firsthand experience managing, creating, and executing an information security program for a company.

The CISM accreditation puts aspirants on the road to further expand their educational credentials. In the information security sector, developing one’s expertise is critical to getting ahead in one’s career. Every day, the field is subject to constant evolution and mutations. As a consequence, new data communication technology pathways have emerged. Enhanced knowledge is valuable in any business setting, and in that regard, getting the CISM certification can be a launching pad towards a better career. Upon the successful completion of this program, students will be able to

• Govern information security policies
• Assess risks and guarantee that all information security policies are thoroughly followed.
• Monitor events involving information security
• Create and manage information security policies to govern the creation of policies, processes, and regulations per the company’s current objectives and goals
• Create business cases for justifying information security investments
• Assess external and internal factors that could influence the business overall to ensure that the information security policy always addresses these variables. Examples of these external and internal factors include evolving technologies, risk landscape, business climate, social media reputation, risk tolerance, regulatory needs, third-party concerns, etc.
• Obtain continuous commitments from top stakeholders and management to assist in successfully executing the company’s information security strategy
• Establish, manage, and analyze information security duties and lines of authority within the company (e.g., data custodians, data owners, end-users, high-risk or privileged users)

Upon the successful completion of the program, aspirants should be able to

• Create an information security policy and an action plan to put it into effect.
• Learn to manage and monitor risks to information security.
• Create and manage an information security plan both internally and externally.
• Develop policies and processes for responding to and recovering from disruptions and damage in information security crises.

The ideal candidates for the course are

• Managers and officers with extensive experience in information security
• IT executives and consultants
• IT auditors
• Privacy officers
• Policymakers in charge of IT security
• Network administrators
• Engineers engaged in Network Security
• Candidates pursuing ISACA’s CISM certification

Qualified CISM graduates are best suited for top-level management roles requiring, for instance, the verification and validation of all critical assets that must be retained and ensuring that penalties for non-compliance with policy guidelines are communicated and implemented.

Eligibility for CISM is recorded at the time of registration and is valid for twelve months. But before a candidate plans to take the exam, they must first register and pay its fee. If they do not schedule and take the exam within the 12-month qualifying bracket, their fee will get forfeited. There will be no qualifying deferrals or extensions permitted once that happens.

CISM is a highly advanced certification that demands students to possess at least five years of work experience in IT Security Management before taking the test. Upon successfully passing the exam and fulfilling the requisite obligations, such as gaining the requisite job experience and completing their education, the candidates are deemed officially qualified. Upon the successful completion of CISM, candidates can find themselves eligible for the following job roles

• Systems Analyst
• Developer
• Security Designer Trainee
• Security Auditor Trainee
• Security Systems Trainee
• Information System Security Officer
• Information/Privacy Risk Consultant
• Security Consultant
• Information Security Manager
• Business Analyst
• Security Designer
• Security Product Manager
• Security Systems Professional
• Security Auditor
• Information Risk Consultant