The Certificate in Cyber Risk for Financial Services is Equalifi’s exam-based qualification for professionals who want to understand, assess and oversee cyber risk in financial-services businesses. It recognises a sound understanding of cyber threats, organisational vulnerabilities and the governance, controls and response capabilities needed to protect financial information, transactions and operations.
The Certificate covers the foundations of cybersecurity and cyber risk, the financial-services threat landscape, cyber-risk governance, risk assessment, identity and access management, data protection, payment and transaction security, cloud and third-party risk, incident management, business continuity and operational resilience. It also addresses cyber-enabled fraud, social engineering, ransomware, regulatory and compliance considerations, cyber insurance, AI-related risks, and reporting to senior management and boards.
The Certificate is designed for financial-services professionals rather than only technology specialists. It builds the knowledge needed to recognise cyber exposures, evaluate controls and service providers, work effectively with cybersecurity teams, and make informed decisions about prevention, escalation and recovery.
The Certificate is assessed through a single MCQ examination, with knowledge, application and case-based questions drawn from practical financial-services situations.
Who should take the exam?
Banking, investment, wealth-management and insurance professionals; risk, compliance and audit teams; operations, payments and treasury professionals; family office executives; fintech and product teams; technology-vendor oversight teams; consultants; and senior leaders responsible for cyber-risk governance and operational resilience.
Important
The Certificate in Cyber Risk for Financial Services is an educational qualification awarded by Equalifi. It does not constitute a regulatory licence or authorisation to provide regulated financial services.
The Certificate focuses on cyber-risk awareness, governance, controls and applied decision-making. It does not, by itself, establish competence to perform penetration testing, digital forensics, security engineering or specialist technical incident response.
Exam details
Equalifi offers the examination through an external, remote-proctored platform. Once registration and payment are confirmed, candidates receive an exam link by email. Candidates may schedule and take the exam within one year of registration, subject to the platform’s requirements.
Candidates need a reliable internet connection and a computer with a working camera. Please read the technical and exam-day instructions before starting the exam.
| Sr. No. | Name of Module | Type of Questions | Test Duration | No. of Questions | Passing Criteria | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Certificate in Cyber Risk for Financial Services | MCQ | 2 hours | 100 | 60% | 20% per incorrect answer |
Validity
The Certificate in Cyber Risk for Financial Services does not expire.
Certificate holders are encouraged to keep their knowledge current as cyber threats, technologies and regulatory requirements evolve.
Candidate audit
Equalifi randomly audits a percentage of applications on a regular basis. Candidates are responsible for providing the requested supporting documentation to verify the education and professional background stated in their registration form. Equalifi does not contact employers or educational institutions to obtain verification documents on a candidate’s behalf.
Candidates selected for audit will be notified by email and will have 10 business days to respond. They must meet the audit requirements before receiving the certificate.
Failure to comply with the audit, falsification or misrepresentation of information, or any unprofessional conduct will result in denial or cancellation of registration and/or revocation of the certificate, and all fees will be forfeited. A candidate who does not comply with an audit will also be subject to audit when reapplying in future.
Fee details
Exam fee: INR 2,360
The fee is inclusive of GST and applies to each attempt.
Access Pass benefits
Fee waiver : Equalifi Chartered, Professional and Virtual Pass holders receive a 50% waiver on the exam fee.
Learn more about the Equalifi Access Pass.
Exam preparation
For stronger exam readiness, candidates are encouraged to attend relevant Equalifi executive education programs and masterclasses on cyber risk, financial fraud, technology governance and operational resilience, where available.
Access Pass holders receive a 10% to 50% fee waiver on eligible programs, based on their pass category.