GRC Training: Top 5 Courses + How to Build a Program

In 2023, the Ponemon Institute studied 500+ organizations to understand the cost components of mitigating a data breach. Two of the biggest cost amplifiers were security skill shortages and non-compliance with regulations. This is a lesson for modern organizations that don’t take security and compliance seriously. When you don’t prioritize it, you eventually pay the price. 

This article lists the best GRC training courses and details everything you need to know about it. Finally, we have listed a few tips for implementing GRC training modules in your organization. 

How does GRC training help your organization?

GRC training helps businesses manage their processes in a practical and strategic manner, minimize risks that impact their bottom line, and avoid legal trouble due to non-compliance. It helps improve processes, implement best practices, and maintain compliance.

GRC training helps employees understand the regulatory requirements which helps to fulfill their responsibilities. It fosters an environment of accountability and transparency and increases stakeholder trust. 

When employees understand the risk landscape and best practices to mitigate threats, it helps to minimize the chances of an incident. This helps to reduce the instances of noncompliance and minimize fines or penalties. 

List of GRC training courses + certifications

GRC training is vital for organizations to ensure adherence to regulations, mitigate risks, and uphold ethical standards. It educates employees on company policies, legal requirements, and ethical practices to foster a culture of accountability and integrity while safeguarding the organization’s reputation. 

Here are the top GRC training courses you can consider in 2024

CGRC – Governance, Risk and Compliance Certification (Editor’s choice) 

The CGRC certification course is one of the most reputed governance risk and compliance courses for anyone looking to enter this field. Offered by ISC2, it is ANAB accredited and approved by the U.S. Department of Defense. It also complies with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17024. 

It adequately equips students with the skills, expertise, and knowledge required to manage governance, and compliance, and risk objectives in an organization. 

Understanding GRC frameworks helps IT professionals integrate security and privacy objectives within the organizational infrastructure. This enables stakeholders to make informed decisions on sensitive data, data security, compliance, risk management, and more. 

To appear for the exam, you must have at least two years of work experience in one or more domains outlined in the ISC2 CGRC exam. The domain and the white pages against each include:

Domains	Average Weight
1. Information Security Risk Management Program	16%
2. Scope of the Information System	11%
3. Selection and Approval of Security and Privacy Controls	15%
4. Implementation of Security and Privacy Controls	16%
5. Assessment/Audit of Security and Privacy Controls	16%
6. Authorization/Approval of Information Systems	10%
7. Continuous Monitoring	16%
Total	100%

You can start the certification process by registering for the exam for free. The exam lasts three hours and candidates must score at least 700/1000 to pass. It consists of 125 questions in the multiple choice format. 

ISC2 offers training materials via online instructions and classroom-based modules. Both are taught by ISC2 authorized instructors. You can also access their self-study resources and tools to prepare for the test. 

The course is ideal for infosec practitioners in the GRC field or who want to implement and improve risk management systems for their organization’s IT infrastructure. 

Examples of these roles are cybersecurity auditor, compliance officer, GRC architect, GRC manager, security risk and compliance project manager, enterprise risk manager, GRC analyst, information assurance manager, and more. 

The GRC Approach to Managing Cybersecurity

Offered by the University System of Georgia, the GRC Approach to Managing Cybersecurity is a part of the Managing Cybersecurity Specialization. Taught primarily in English, the course is available in 22 languages. The course is ten hours long and allows the flexibility to learn at an individual pace. 

After finishing this cyber security GRC training, you will be able to: 

• Identify the functions of GRC and understand its importance in cybersecurity program management
• familiarize yourself with the best practices of risk management such as risk assessment and risk treatment
• Strategise cybersecurity content, identify the methods of security policy and policy development. 
• Learn new concepts from industry experts, develop skills relevant to the job through hands-on projects, and strengthen your foundation of the subject.

This course helps to manage risk to information assets. 

1. Introduction to the GRC approach to managing cybersecurity
2. introduction to the management of cybersecurity
3. Cybersecurity governance and planning
4. Cybersecurity risk management
5. Cybersecurity policy
6. Measuring success of cybersecurity program
7. Law and regulation in cybersecurity
8. Course wrap up

Reviews for GRC Approach to Managing Cybersecurity course: 

1. “It was an intensive but informative course. It is relevant to my career and very insightful.”
2. “Give me new insight about cybersecurity and how to manage it. Great lecturers and vivid descriptions.”
3. “Good Course on understanding how the Cybersecurity approach should be and what it takes to understand the same.”

Price – $50 to $100, depending on how much time you take to finish 

The course instructors include are: 

• Michael Whitman, Ph.D., CISM, CISSP
• Herbert J. Mattord, Ph.D., CISM, CISSP, CDP

Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) by Pluralsight

This course helps individuals familiarize themselves with the regulations, security standards, and frameworks that security practitioners should understand. 

The courses help you know the goals of each standard that organizations should follow, the requirements associated with each, and how it benefits businesses. By the end, you will gain an in-depth understanding of frameworks like PCI DSS, GDPR, ISO 27001, HIPAA, NIST CSF, NIST RMF, CIS Controls, SOX, and more. 

It is a 20 hour comprehensive course with no eligibility requirement or relevant experience to be certified. 

It covers the following topics: 

1. Security Compliance, Governance, and Frameworks
2. Security Compliance: CMMC
3. Security Compliance: FedRAMP
4. Security Compliance: ISO/IEC 27000 Series
5. Security Compliance: ISO 27001
6. Security Compliance: SOC 2
7. Information Governance: GDPR
8. Information Governance: HIPAA
9. Information Governance: CCPA
10. Information Governance: CDPA
11. Information Governance: SOX
12. Security Governance: FISMA
13. Information Governance: COPPA
14. Information Governance: GLBA
15. Security Controls: CIS Controls
16. Compliance Framework: PCI DSS
17. Security Framework: NIST CSF
18. Security Framework: NIST RMF

The instructors of this course include: 

• Richard Harpur: CEO, CIO, and CISO
• Bobby E. Rogers: Information security engineer
• Dr. Shaila Rana: Founder of CyberSecure, Co-Founder of ACT Research Institute
• John Elliott: Specialist in regulated security and data protection
• Mike Woolard: Information security manager
• Jo harder: Senior security architect

To access the course, you have to subscribe to a Pluralsight plan. The pricing modules range from $10 to $15 a month. 

The Ultimate GRC Course – Governance, Risk & Compliance 2024

Offered through Udemy, this certification course is aimed to help you become a GRC expert. It consists of five articles and is 19.5 hours long. Accessible on smartphones and televisions, it costs $150. 

After completing the courses, you can expect to understand risk management, security metrics, vendor risk management, compliance management, security auditing, and security policies. The course guides learners through real world examples of GRC principles and challenges. 

A basic understanding of IT concepts such as networks, infrastructures, information security, and databases is required to take this course. 

The course is divided into these learning modules: 

1. Introduction – how to be a GRC consultant
2. Security essentials for GRC candidates
3. Security program and information security function
4. Regulation and standards and its influence
5. Enterprise risk management (ERM)
6. Personnel and third party risk management (TPRM)
7. Security governance tools
8. Information system auditing and control validation
9. Guide to information systems and basic information technology
10. Software development and security aspects
11. Release management and change management 
12. Incident management and business continuity 

The Ultimate GRC Course creaks down basic GRC concepts like governance frameworks, compliance standards, risk management techniques, and regulatory obligations. Taught by industry leading experts, the course includes real world examples and scenarios. 

Apart from the modules mentioned above, this grc training and certification course takes a deep dive into these topics:

• Introduction to Cybersecurity
• Security Program and Governance
• Risk Management
• Security Policies and Procedures
• Auditing and Compliance
• Network and Endpoint Security and Systems and Data Security
• Physical Security
• Incident Management and Business Continuity
• Software Development Process
• IT Management

This course is a good fit for you if you are – 

• An IT manager who manages IT operations to meet business objectives and meet regulatory obligations
• IT professional who implements, manages, and oversees processes like IT services, security, and risks. 
• Working in a compliance management team and responsible for ensuring that the organization meets the applicable regulatory requirements.
• Working in a risk management role and responsible for managing, identifying, and mitigating risks.
• A GRC professional or those who want to start a career in this field. 
• Preparing for the ISC2 Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) or ISC2 Certified in Governance, Risk and Compliance (CGRC) course. 

The Ultimate GRC Course costs $15. 

Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) Online Training & Certification

Accredited by ISACA, the CRISC certification training program is developed for professionals responsible for identifying and mitigating enterprise risk using information system controls. It equips them with the knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate the impact of security risks and implement the right controls to minimize them. 

The course is aimed at auditors, CISOs, compliance officers, IT managers, and individuals with similar roles. 

The duration of the exam is four hours in which candidates must answer 150 questions in the multiple choice format. You must score at least 450 out of 800 to get the certificate. 

Source: infosectrain.com

Course module and topic weightage: 

Organizational Governance A 26% Organizational Governance A  Organizational Strategy, Goals, and Objectives Organizational Structure, Roles, and Responsibilities Organizational Culture Policies and Standards Business Processes Organizational Assets Risk Governance B Enterprise Risk Management and Risk Management Framework Three Lines of Defense Risk Profile Risk Appetite and Risk Tolerance Legal, Regulatory, and Contractual Requirements Professional Ethics of Risk Management

Domain 2: IT Risk Assessment 20% IT Risk Identification A Risk EventsThreat Modeling and Threat Landscape Vulnerability and Control Deficiency Analysis Risk Scenario Development IT Risk Analysis and Evaluation B Risk Assessment Concepts, Standards, and Frameworks Risk Register Risk Analysis Methodologies Business Impact Analysis Inherent and Residual Risk

Domain 3: Risk Response and Reporting 32% Risk Response A Risk Treatment / Risk Response Risk and Control OwnershipThird-Party Risk ManagementIssue, Finding, and Exception ManagementManagement of Emerging Risk Control Design and Implementation B Controls, Standards, FrameworksControl Design, Selection, Analysis Control Implementation Control Testing and Effectiveness Evaluation Risk Monitoring and Reporting C Risk Treatment Plans Data Collection, Aggregation, Analysis, Validation Risk and Monitoring Techniques Risk and Reporting Techniques Key Performance Indicators Key Risk Indicators Key Control Indicators

Domain 4: Information Technology and Security 22% Information Technology Principles A Enterprise Architecture IT Operations Management Project Management Disaster Recovery Management (DRM)Data Lifecycle Management System Development Life Cycle Emerging Technologies Information Security Principles B Information Security Concepts, Frameworks, and Standards Information Security Awareness Training Business Continuity Management Data Privacy and Data Protection Principles

Additional resource recommendation: GRC Lab

The GRC lab is a free resource and training center designed to help you understand complex GRC principles and accelerate your career in this field. This free library was created by Aron Lange, a Security Officer at Deloitte. 

It offers a comprehensive resource center consisting of documents, courses, books, and more. These resources help professionals and individuals interested in a GRC career demystify the dynamic landscape of regulations, laws, and best practices. 

Some of the training and workshops are: 

• Amazon cyber security awareness training
• Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) workshop training
• CISCO networking academy
• Cybersecurity fundamentals
• Fundamentals of cyber risk management

How to build a GRC training program

If you want to implement a successful GRC training program for your organization, consider these best practices:

• Conduct a gap analysis to determine where your organization currently stands in terms of skill gaps. Then, measure this against your GRC goals to determine where you want to be compared to your current status. 

• Consider compliance and regulatory goals and objectives. Build your program against the requirements of the applicable regulations. 

• Conduct a risk evaluation of your IT assets and infrastructure. This will help you build a risk-based program that contributes to a better security posture. Maintain an updated asset inventory and risk register to prioritize risks better and update the training material based on the current level of criticality. 

• Start by selecting a training framework that offers a practical and industry approved way to approach security training. The NIST Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework) is a good resource that details the tasks, knowledge, and skills that individuals in the security space should possess. 

• Generally speaking, humans are unmotivated to learn anything that is not part of their job roles and are resilient to change that requires them to incorporate new practices into an existing process. To make it interesting, incorporate gaming techniques and set up a rewarding system for those who meet the training objectives or complete it. 

Ensure compliance-friendly security training

Training employees is a must to ensure compliance and build a security-first culture. But creating a program from scratch, writing training manuals and policies, and tracking completion metrics takes a toll on HR and security team bandwidth. 

Sprinto offers in-build training modules designed to launch custom training campaigns, achieve org-wide implementation, and meet compliance requirements. 

It integrates with leading training services and enables you to track progress of completion, capture its evidence, and launch multiple training campaigns to align with different frameworks. You can track everything from a single dashboard. Talk to our experts now. 

FAQs

How do I get GRC certified?

To get GRC certified, you must complete a training and accreditation process from a recognised center. 

How much does it cost to get GRC certified?

The cost of GRC certification differs and depends on the program you choose. It can cost you anything from $10 to thousands of dollars. 

What are the best GRC certifications courses? 

Some of the top GRC certification courses are :

• CGRC – Governance, Risk and Compliance Certification
• The GRC Approach to Managing Cybersecurity by University of Georgia
• Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) by pluralsight
• The Ultimate GRC Course – Governance, Risk & Compliance
• Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) Online Training & Certification.