The Cybersecurity Fundamentals for Finance and Accounting Professionals Certificate course (15.5 CPE Credits) will help you develop fluency and gain confidence to make sound strategic decisions regarding cybersecurity risk. You’ll also learn what you should be doing as a non-IT professional, to help protect your clients and your organization from cyber threats.

Understand cybersecurity—and be part of the solution.

The threats from cyber-attacks are real, and can:

• Disrupt businesses
• Result in financial losses
• Destroy an organization's reputation

In fact, cybercrime damage costs are expected to hit $6 trillion annually by 2021. Organizations are under pressure to show that they have effective processes in place to detect, mitigate, and recover from cybersecurity events.

This certificate course gives you a foundation in cybersecurity so you can provide valuable leadership within your organization—or with your clients.

What do you need to know about cybersecurity?

You don't have to become an IT expert. But, you do need to be able to speak intelligently and:

• Understand key elements of the AICPA's cybersecurity risk management reporting framework;
• Learn the terminology and the right questions to ask;
• Understand the potential risks and opportunities for your organization or clients;
• Help advise on investments in cybersecurity or identify roles for cybersecurity specialists; and,
• Apply a security mindset to your daily work.

Gain expertise—and show it with this certificate and digital badge

As cybercrime threats grow, it's essential for financial professionals to understanding what the risks are and how mitigate or manage them.

This interactive, self-paced certificate program, authored by cybersecurity expert Chris Romeo, will help you acquire these skills so you can:

• Add value to your organization
• Create opportunities for your career growth
• Consider exploring cybersecurity advisory as a specialization for yourself or your firm

Who Will Benefit?

• Finance professionals
• CFOs and business managers
• Controllers and internal auditors
• Management and public accountants

Key Topics

• Cybersecurity terminology and digital transformation
• Attacks and the security mindset
• Data breaches and privacy
• Cybersecurity frameworks including NIST CSF
• Elements of a cybersecurity risk management program
• Benefits of investing in cybersecurity
• Options for cybersecurity service offerings

Learning Objectives

• Recognize the impact of digital transformation on business.
• Recognize key cybersecurity terms and what it takes to have a security mindset.
• Recognize the threat landscape and the importance of security to various technologies.
• Recognize how a data breach occurs and the organizational impact.
• Recognize the impact to the organization when privacy is compromised.
• Recognize the definition and purpose of a cybersecurity risk management program and description criteria.
• Identify which security framework(s) would be best for your organization or client.
• Identify the five functions described in the core of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF).

Credit Info 

• CPE CREDITS: Online: 15.5 (CPE credit info)
• NASBA FIELD OF STUDY: Information Technology
• LEVEL: Basic
• PREREQUISITES: None
• ADVANCE PREPARATION: None
• DELIVERY METHOD: QAS Self-Study
• COURSE ACRONYM: CSFD

Online Access Instructions

A personal pin code is enclosed in the physical packaging that may be activated online upon receipt. Once activated, you will gain immediate online access to the product.

System Requirements

AICPA’s online CPE courses will operate in a variety of configurations, but only the configuration described below is supported by AICPA technicians.

A stable and continuous internet connection is required. In order to record your completion of the online learning courses, please ensure you are connected to the internet at all times while taking the course. It is your responsibility to validate that CPE certificate(s) are available within your account after successfully completing the course and/or exam.

Supported Operating Systems:

• Macintosh OS X 10.10 to present
• Windows 7 to present

Supported Browsers:

• Apple Safari
• Google Chrome
• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Mozilla Firefox

Required Browser Plug-ins:

• Adobe Flash
• Adobe Acrobat Reader

Technical Support: Please contact service@aicpa.org.