ISACA Refreshes IT Management Protocols with COBIT 2019

2019 was always going to be an important year for ISACA, the international professional association that supports an impressive community of cybersecurity and IT management workers: When the calendar turns over in January, ISACA will mark its 50th year in operation.

ISACA unveiled another important 2019 milestone earlier this month, however, with the first phase of a monthslong rollout of COBIT 2019, the first update to its popular IT management and governance framework since 2012. After seven years of COBIT 5, there's a new sheriff in town.

While ISACA is widely known and respected in IT certification circles for its array of top-caliber cybersecurity and IT management credentials, COBIT has been an important cornerstone of its business offerings for nearly 25 years.

First introduced in 1996, COBIT — the name is an acronym for Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies — provides best practice guidance and tools to organizations that incorporate varying degrees of information technology in their operations. (Mostly we're talking about meganerd-level stuff that's probably way over your head.)

On Nov. 13, ISACA released the "Introduction and Methodology" component of COBIT 2019 along with its "Governance and Management Objectives" component. Interested parties both inside and outside the formal ISACA membership ranks can access all relevant documents and tools from this initial phase online, free of charge.

The next stage in the sequential release of COBIT 2019 is set for December and will include both a formal design guide ("Designing and Information and Technology Governance Solution") and an implementation guide ("Implementing and Optimizing an Information Technology and Governance Solution").

The rollout will wrap up next year in January and April with the release of COBIT 2019 training courses and certificate programs. This newest version of COBIT addresses changing business technology trends and standards.

ISACA board chair Rob Clyde said in a statement to media that COBIT 2019 will help IT organizations maximize their investment in information technology. "COBIT 2019 provides world-class guidance that can increase the value derived from information and technology assets through better governance and management," Clyde said.

"This kind of guidance spurs new growth and innovation while fortifying organizations worldwide against threats and risks."