What is CRISC? | Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control

What is Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control?

CRISC is a certification for professionals who manage IT risk and build controls that matter. Developed by ISACA, it validates real-world skills in identifying and assessing risk, designing system-level safeguards, and aligning both to business strategy.

More than a checkbox certification, CRISC signals credibility in translating risk into action—without slowing things down.

Why CRISC matters

CRISC stands at the intersection of governance and execution. It’s built for the people tasked with answering the tough questions:

• What’s our real exposure?
• Are we prepared to act?
• Can we prove it?

CRISC-certified pros bring clarity. They connect board-level risk goals to technical controls. They spot blind spots early. And they help reduce friction between IT, security, and compliance teams.

The result: stronger decisions, fewer surprises, and controls that hold up under pressure.

What CRISC covers

CRISC maps to four domains that shape how risk is seen—and contained:

• Governance – Define frameworks, clarify roles, set risk appetite
• IT Risk Assessment – Identify vulnerabilities, evaluate likelihood, prioritize impact
• Risk Response and Reporting – Design and manage effective control responses
• IT and Security – Implement and monitor controls across systems and services

It’s a hands-on, policy-smart, outcome-driven view of risk.

Who needs CRISC?

CRISC is for professionals who don’t just analyze risk—they own it.

• IT risk and control leaders
• Governance and compliance managers
• Security pros driving transformation
• Audit and assurance teams responsible for proving control effectiveness

If your role touches risk strategy or system integrity, CRISC backs your seat at the table

The takeaway

Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control isn’t theory. It’s proof. That you know how to manage risk where it lives—in apps, in infrastructure, in fast-moving environments.