Isaca CISA Practice Test 2
Question 10
Before reaching an audit conclusion, consider: A certificate authority's signing key is available to several administrators without dual control. Which evidence should the auditor review FIRST to evaluate this risk?
- Map shared-responsibility controls and review customer policies, logs and service settings.
- Inspect HSM controls, key ceremony logs, assigned roles and administrative sessions.
- Inspect trust-store settings, CRL/OCSP reachability, cache behavior and certificate status.
- Trace approved application flows, firewall rules and actual connection logs.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Inspect HSM controls, key ceremony logs, assigned roles and administrative sessions. The governing principle is: CA private keys require strong custody and accountable access due to their trust impact.
Incorrect Answers
A:Map shared-responsibility controls and review customer policies, logs and service settings. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A cloud provider's assurance report covers physical facilities but the customer's tenant encryption and IAM are untested. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Inspect HSM controls, key ceremony logs, assigned roles and administrative sessions. The governing distinction is: CA private keys require strong custody and accountable access due to their trust impact.
C:Inspect trust-store settings, CRL/OCSP reachability, cache behavior and certificate status. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A revoked supplier certificate remains trusted by an application because revocation checks are disabled. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Inspect HSM controls, key ceremony logs, assigned roles and administrative sessions. The governing distinction is: CA private keys require strong custody and accountable access due to their trust impact.
D:Trace approved application flows, firewall rules and actual connection logs. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A production network permits unrestricted traffic from user workstations to a sensitive payment database. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Inspect HSM controls, key ceremony logs, assigned roles and administrative sessions. The governing distinction is: CA private keys require strong custody and accountable access due to their trust impact.
Question 11
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: A fire-suppression system passes annual inspections but a rack's temperature sensors have never alarmed under test. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- An unauthorized password-only login to privileged remote access is rejected.
- A tabletop triggers authorized decisions and compliant notices within required timeframes.
- A controlled upstream power loss leaves essential services within continuity targets.
- Controlled threshold simulations generate timely alerts and documented response.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Controlled threshold simulations generate timely alerts and documented response. It addresses physical and environmental controls. Underlying audit concern: Environmental protection requires functioning detection, alerting and appropriate response.
Incorrect Answers
A:An unauthorized password-only login to privileged remote access is rejected. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A remote-access gateway accepts a password alone for high-impact production administrators. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Controlled threshold simulations generate timely alerts and documented response. The governing distinction is: Environmental protection requires functioning detection, alerting and appropriate response.
B:A tabletop triggers authorized decisions and compliant notices within required timeframes. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An organization discovers a reportable personal-data breach but no one knows who can authorize external notification. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Controlled threshold simulations generate timely alerts and documented response. The governing distinction is: Environmental protection requires functioning detection, alerting and appropriate response.
C:A controlled upstream power loss leaves essential services within continuity targets. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A data center's redundant power feeds terminate at the same upstream distribution panel. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Controlled threshold simulations generate timely alerts and documented response. The governing distinction is: Environmental protection requires functioning detection, alerting and appropriate response.
Question 12
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: A redundant web cluster shares one DNS resolver and becomes inaccessible when that resolver fails. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Availability analysis must include upstream shared dependencies, not just redundant hosts.
- Service credits alone may not address underlying operational and continuity risk.
- Capacity planning must account for peak demand, growth and degraded operation.
- Database least privilege should restrict access by actual application function.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Availability analysis must include upstream shared dependencies, not just redundant hosts. The corresponding audit procedure is: Map DNS architecture, cache behavior, alternate paths and outage records.
Incorrect Answers
B:Service credits alone may not address underlying operational and continuity risk. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A data processing vendor consistently misses recovery times but management pays service credits without correcting the cause. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Availability analysis must include upstream shared dependencies, not just redundant hosts. The governing distinction is: Availability analysis must include upstream shared dependencies, not just redundant hosts.
C:Capacity planning must account for peak demand, growth and degraded operation. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A transaction platform runs at high average CPU and has no measured headroom for seasonal spikes. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Availability analysis must include upstream shared dependencies, not just redundant hosts. The governing distinction is: Availability analysis must include upstream shared dependencies, not just redundant hosts.
D:Database least privilege should restrict access by actual application function. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A production database account has unrestricted privileges for a read-only reporting integration. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Availability analysis must include upstream shared dependencies, not just redundant hosts. The governing distinction is: Availability analysis must include upstream shared dependencies, not just redundant hosts.
Question 13
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: A program steering committee receives status reports from one vendor but has no visibility into independent testing delays. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- Production access samples match steady-state roles and exception closure is evidenced.
- Launch authorization shows accountable acceptance of all material residual issues.
- A migrated encrypted sample is accessible to authorized users and remains protected.
- The steering committee sees verified readiness, risk and dependency status before decisions.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:The steering committee sees verified readiness, risk and dependency status before decisions. It addresses project governance and management. Underlying audit concern: Effective oversight requires consolidated delivery reporting and objective milestone evidence.
Incorrect Answers
A:Production access samples match steady-state roles and exception closure is evidenced. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: After a new billing platform launches, unresolved temporary broad administrator permissions are treated as permanent. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: The steering committee sees verified readiness, risk and dependency status before decisions. The governing distinction is: Effective oversight requires consolidated delivery reporting and objective milestone evidence.
B:Launch authorization shows accountable acceptance of all material residual issues. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A mobile-banking project reaches launch without an accountable sponsor for unresolved regulatory requirements. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: The steering committee sees verified readiness, risk and dependency status before decisions. The governing distinction is: Effective oversight requires consolidated delivery reporting and objective milestone evidence.
C:A migrated encrypted sample is accessible to authorized users and remains protected. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A cloud move assumes existing encryption keys will work in the target without import or custody testing. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: The steering committee sees verified readiness, risk and dependency status before decisions. The governing distinction is: Effective oversight requires consolidated delivery reporting and objective milestone evidence.
Question 14
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A financial application retains operational logs for only a week although investigation rules require six months. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend restricted log changes and independent alerts on collection interruption.
- Recommend protected retention and tested retrieval matching the authorized period.
- Recommend application-consistent backup and recovery sequencing for the database.
- Recommend an EUC registry, approved connectors and security review before production use.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Recommend protected retention and tested retrieval matching the authorized period. The relevant control principle is: Log retention should align with business, legal, incident and privacy requirements. A meaningful follow-up should establish: Required historical events can be retrieved with intact timestamps and provenance.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recommend restricted log changes and independent alerts on collection interruption. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Security logs are forwarded to a central platform but administrators can disable forwarding without generating an alert. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend protected retention and tested retrieval matching the authorized period. The governing distinction is: Log retention should align with business, legal, incident and privacy requirements.
C:Recommend application-consistent backup and recovery sequencing for the database. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A company copies database files nightly while transactions remain active, producing inconsistent backups. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend protected retention and tested retrieval matching the authorized period. The governing distinction is: Log retention should align with business, legal, incident and privacy requirements.
D:Recommend an EUC registry, approved connectors and security review before production use. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A department builds a low-code workflow that sends customer data to an unknown external connector. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend protected retention and tested retrieval matching the authorized period. The governing distinction is: Log retention should align with business, legal, incident and privacy requirements.
Question 15
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: An automation business case counts staff savings but omits new licenses, monitoring and transition costs. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend a full business case including operational costs and sensitivity analysis.
- Recommend risk-based release gates and accountable authorization in the pipeline.
- Recommend a representative integration proof of concept before final procurement approval.
- Recommend controlled key migration testing and secure escrow or recovery planning.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Recommend a full business case including operational costs and sensitivity analysis. The relevant control principle is: Investment feasibility should evaluate total costs, benefits, risks and measurable assumptions. A meaningful follow-up should establish: Post-approval benefits can be compared with documented realistic financial assumptions.
Incorrect Answers
B:Recommend risk-based release gates and accountable authorization in the pipeline. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A DevOps team deploys from automated pipelines with no independent approval for sensitive production promotions. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend a full business case including operational costs and sensitivity analysis. The governing distinction is: Investment feasibility should evaluate total costs, benefits, risks and measurable assumptions.
C:Recommend a representative integration proof of concept before final procurement approval. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A vendor's product demonstration uses sanitized sample data while the production workload needs complex legacy mappings. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend a full business case including operational costs and sensitivity analysis. The governing distinction is: Investment feasibility should evaluate total costs, benefits, risks and measurable assumptions.
D:Recommend controlled key migration testing and secure escrow or recovery planning. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A cloud move assumes existing encryption keys will work in the target without import or custody testing. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend a full business case including operational costs and sensitivity analysis. The governing distinction is: Investment feasibility should evaluate total costs, benefits, risks and measurable assumptions.
Question 16
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: Security logs are forwarded to a central platform but administrators can disable forwarding without generating an alert. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- Restoration passes transactional integrity and reconciliation tests.
- Controlled cross-system events correlate in a coherent chronology without modifying originals.
- A qualified alternate restores service without bypassing authorization or audit trails.
- A controlled forwarding outage triggers timely alerting with identifiable ownership.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:A controlled forwarding outage triggers timely alerting with identifiable ownership. It addresses operational log management. Underlying audit concern: Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps.
Incorrect Answers
A:Restoration passes transactional integrity and reconciliation tests. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A company copies database files nightly while transactions remain active, producing inconsistent backups. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: A controlled forwarding outage triggers timely alerting with identifiable ownership. The governing distinction is: Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps.
B:Controlled cross-system events correlate in a coherent chronology without modifying originals. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Multiple servers use unsynchronized clocks so a transaction appears to complete before it begins. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: A controlled forwarding outage triggers timely alerting with identifiable ownership. The governing distinction is: Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps.
C:A qualified alternate restores service without bypassing authorization or audit trails. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A highly available application uses only one privileged administrator who is unavailable during a holiday. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: A controlled forwarding outage triggers timely alerting with identifiable ownership. The governing distinction is: Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps.
Question 17
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: A continuity plan lists the chief executive as the only emergency decision authority with no alternate. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Critical end-user computing requires integrity, access and change controls proportionate to risk.
- Data protection must account for application consistency and in-flight transactions.
- Continuity plans must integrate people, facilities, technology and business processes.
- BCP governance requires delegation and clear command arrangements under disruption.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:BCP governance requires delegation and clear command arrangements under disruption. The corresponding audit procedure is: Examine invocation criteria, contact trees, authority matrix and availability assumptions.
Incorrect Answers
A:Critical end-user computing requires integrity, access and change controls proportionate to risk. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A spreadsheet with editable formulas calculates regulatory capital but has no validation or change history. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: BCP governance requires delegation and clear command arrangements under disruption. The governing distinction is: BCP governance requires delegation and clear command arrangements under disruption.
B:Data protection must account for application consistency and in-flight transactions. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A company copies database files nightly while transactions remain active, producing inconsistent backups. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: BCP governance requires delegation and clear command arrangements under disruption. The governing distinction is: BCP governance requires delegation and clear command arrangements under disruption.
C:Continuity plans must integrate people, facilities, technology and business processes. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A call center continuity binder lists alternate desks but employees cannot access the customer service application from that location. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: BCP governance requires delegation and clear command arrangements under disruption. The governing distinction is: BCP governance requires delegation and clear command arrangements under disruption.
Question 18
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A certificate authority's signing key is available to several administrators without dual control. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend restricted protected signing operations and independent key management oversight.
- Recommend governed indicator lifecycle and context-based tuning.
- Recommend protected original preservation and analysis on validated working copies.
- Recommend appropriate revocation validation and monitored failure handling.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Recommend restricted protected signing operations and independent key management oversight. The relevant control principle is: CA private keys require strong custody and accountable access due to their trust impact. A meaningful follow-up should establish: An unauthorized administrator cannot export or use the CA signing key.
Incorrect Answers
B:Recommend governed indicator lifecycle and context-based tuning. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A threat-intelligence feed generates blocks for obsolete indicators without regular relevance review. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend restricted protected signing operations and independent key management oversight. The governing distinction is: CA private keys require strong custody and accountable access due to their trust impact.
C:Recommend protected original preservation and analysis on validated working copies. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Security staff begin forensic analysis directly on a live original log file and overwrite timestamps. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend restricted protected signing operations and independent key management oversight. The governing distinction is: CA private keys require strong custody and accountable access due to their trust impact.
D:Recommend appropriate revocation validation and monitored failure handling. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A revoked supplier certificate remains trusted by an application because revocation checks are disabled. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend restricted protected signing operations and independent key management oversight. The governing distinction is: CA private keys require strong custody and accountable access due to their trust impact.
Question 19
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A marketing platform collects customer location data without a documented lawful purpose or retention period. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend risk-weighted supplier evaluation with documented approval of material exceptions.
- Recommend restricted or masked disclosure and revised processor access conditions.
- Recommend assigned regulatory monitoring and change approval for affected compliance procedures.
- Recommend privacy assessment and purpose-bound collection with proportionate retention controls.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Recommend privacy assessment and purpose-bound collection with proportionate retention controls. The relevant control principle is: Privacy governance should enforce purpose limitation, data minimization and accountable use. A meaningful follow-up should establish: Records demonstrate approved legal basis, limited fields and enforced deletion schedules.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recommend risk-weighted supplier evaluation with documented approval of material exceptions. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Procurement selects the lowest-cost cloud vendor while ignoring prior security incidents and regulatory audit rights. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend privacy assessment and purpose-bound collection with proportionate retention controls. The governing distinction is: Privacy governance should enforce purpose limitation, data minimization and accountable use.
B:Recommend restricted or masked disclosure and revised processor access conditions. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A service provider requests full identity documents when a masked identifier would satisfy a support task. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend privacy assessment and purpose-bound collection with proportionate retention controls. The governing distinction is: Privacy governance should enforce purpose limitation, data minimization and accountable use.
C:Recommend assigned regulatory monitoring and change approval for affected compliance procedures. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A bank's compliance register still lists a superseded regulatory reporting deadline after a rule change. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend privacy assessment and purpose-bound collection with proportionate retention controls. The governing distinction is: Privacy governance should enforce purpose limitation, data minimization and accountable use.
Question 20
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: Security logs are forwarded to a central platform but administrators can disable forwarding without generating an alert. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Job automation changes should be authorized, versioned and attributable.
- Log retention should align with business, legal, incident and privacy requirements.
- Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps.
- Asset lifecycle management must control custody and data disposition at retirement.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps. The corresponding audit procedure is: Check logging privileges, forwarding configuration, heartbeat and gap detection.
Incorrect Answers
A:Job automation changes should be authorized, versioned and attributable. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An operator can edit scheduled payroll scripts directly in production without independent approval. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps. The governing distinction is: Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps.
B:Log retention should align with business, legal, incident and privacy requirements. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A financial application retains operational logs for only a week although investigation rules require six months. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps. The governing distinction is: Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps.
D:Asset lifecycle management must control custody and data disposition at retirement. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A retail chain replaces laptops but leaves decommissioned drives untracked with a disposal contractor. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps. The governing distinction is: Logging integrity requires control over collection configuration and visibility into gaps.