Isaca CISA Practice Test 23
Question 220
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: An enterprise calls backups successful because jobs complete, but no recent restoration test has been performed. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend periodic representative restoration tests with objective success criteria.
- Recommend representative scenario tests including concurrent demand and decision roles.
- Recommend independent protected backup custody and tested clean restoration.
- Recommend documented alternates and tested activation decision protocols.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Recommend periodic representative restoration tests with objective success criteria. The relevant control principle is: Backup completion does not prove data restorability or usable business recovery. A meaningful follow-up should establish: Restored data is complete, usable and recovered within approved objectives.
Incorrect Answers
B:Recommend representative scenario tests including concurrent demand and decision roles. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A company rehearses DR annually on a clean weekend but its live recovery window overlaps payroll peaks and storage contention. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend periodic representative restoration tests with objective success criteria. The governing distinction is: Backup completion does not prove data restorability or usable business recovery.
C:Recommend independent protected backup custody and tested clean restoration. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An attacker encrypts production files and online backups because both use the same compromised admin identity. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend periodic representative restoration tests with objective success criteria. The governing distinction is: Backup completion does not prove data restorability or usable business recovery.
D:Recommend documented alternates and tested activation decision protocols. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A continuity plan lists the chief executive as the only emergency decision authority with no alternate. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend periodic representative restoration tests with objective success criteria. The governing distinction is: Backup completion does not prove data restorability or usable business recovery.
Question 221
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A production database account has unrestricted privileges for a read-only reporting integration. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend impact analysis and coordinated release testing for dependent services.
- Recommend business-service indicators and contractual accountability for meaningful failures.
- Recommend limiting the integration to approved read permissions with reviewed exceptions.
- Recommend reviewed schema deployment and regression validation for dependent consumers.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Recommend limiting the integration to approved read permissions with reviewed exceptions. The relevant control principle is: Database least privilege should restrict access by actual application function. A meaningful follow-up should establish: The integration reads required views but cannot modify protected tables.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recommend impact analysis and coordinated release testing for dependent services. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A routine database update causes outages because no dependency assessment included reporting services. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend limiting the integration to approved read permissions with reviewed exceptions. The governing distinction is: Database least privilege should restrict access by actual application function.
B:Recommend business-service indicators and contractual accountability for meaningful failures. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A supplier SLA measures network interface uptime while the business requires successful customer transactions. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend limiting the integration to approved read permissions with reviewed exceptions. The governing distinction is: Database least privilege should restrict access by actual application function.
D:Recommend reviewed schema deployment and regression validation for dependent consumers. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A DBA changes production schema directly, causing an analytics extract to return wrong totals. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend limiting the integration to approved read permissions with reviewed exceptions. The governing distinction is: Database least privilege should restrict access by actual application function.
Question 222
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A new inventory system's disaster-recovery test is deferred because normal transaction testing passes. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend correcting capacity issues and rerunning realistic performance tests.
- Recommend a representative integration proof of concept before final procurement approval.
- Recommend approved configuration-as-code or logged emergency change control.
- Recommend a controlled recovery exercise or documented risk acceptance before launch.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Recommend a controlled recovery exercise or documented risk acceptance before launch. The relevant control principle is: Functional success does not demonstrate recoverability or continuity readiness. A meaningful follow-up should establish: Restoration testing meets agreed data-loss and service-recovery objectives.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recommend correcting capacity issues and rerunning realistic performance tests. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A cloud platform is declared ready despite failed high-load tests and no capacity remediation plan. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend a controlled recovery exercise or documented risk acceptance before launch. The governing distinction is: Functional success does not demonstrate recoverability or continuity readiness.
B: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 controlled recovery exercise or documented risk acceptance before launch. The governing distinction is: Functional success does not demonstrate recoverability or continuity readiness.
C:Recommend approved configuration-as-code or logged emergency change control. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A production release changes database permissions manually after the reviewed deployment package was approved. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend a controlled recovery exercise or documented risk acceptance before launch. The governing distinction is: Functional success does not demonstrate recoverability or continuity readiness.
Question 223
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: A department builds a low-code workflow that sends customer data to an unknown external connector. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- Only authorized destinations receive necessary data and workflow use is logged.
- A site-loss simulation processes representative payments through the recovery location.
- Confidential contracts reside only in approved managed repositories with appropriate access.
- Replayed requests create one authorized business transaction with consistent audit logs.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Only authorized destinations receive necessary data and workflow use is logged. It addresses shadow it and end-user computing. Underlying audit concern: Citizen-developed systems remain subject to data governance and integration security.
Incorrect Answers
B:A site-loss simulation processes representative payments through the recovery location. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A recovery site has servers but no validated link to the payment network after a facility loss. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Only authorized destinations receive necessary data and workflow use is logged. The governing distinction is: Citizen-developed systems remain subject to data governance and integration security.
C:Confidential contracts reside only in approved managed repositories with appropriate access. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A sales team stores client contracts in an unapproved personal file-sharing account for convenience. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Only authorized destinations receive necessary data and workflow use is logged. The governing distinction is: Citizen-developed systems remain subject to data governance and integration security.
D:Replayed requests create one authorized business transaction with consistent audit logs. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A financial transfer job can be rerun after timeout and processes the same payment twice. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Only authorized destinations receive necessary data and workflow use is logged. The governing distinction is: Citizen-developed systems remain subject to data governance and integration security.
Question 224
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: An emergency patch goes live without a rollback plan or verification of required interfaces. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- Follow-up metrics demonstrate whether the approved onboarding outcome is achieved.
- Released features and controls map to current approved requirements and tests.
- Production permissions match reviewed baselines and exceptions have documented approval.
- The patch is traceable, interfaces pass smoke tests and rollback can be executed safely.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:The patch is traceable, interfaces pass smoke tests and rollback can be executed safely. It addresses implementation configuration and release management. Underlying audit concern: Expedited release processes still require risk checks, fallback and post-change validation.
Incorrect Answers
A:Follow-up metrics demonstrate whether the approved onboarding outcome is achieved. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A new HR system meets its technical go-live date but fails the promised reduction in onboarding time. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: The patch is traceable, interfaces pass smoke tests and rollback can be executed safely. The governing distinction is: Expedited release processes still require risk checks, fallback and post-change validation.
B:Released features and controls map to current approved requirements and tests. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A waterfall project signs off design once, then production requirements change without design traceability. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: The patch is traceable, interfaces pass smoke tests and rollback can be executed safely. The governing distinction is: Expedited release processes still require risk checks, fallback and post-change validation.
C:Production permissions match reviewed baselines and exceptions have documented approval. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A production release changes database permissions manually after the reviewed deployment package was approved. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: The patch is traceable, interfaces pass smoke tests and rollback can be executed safely. The governing distinction is: Expedited release processes still require risk checks, fallback and post-change validation.
Question 225
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: Three departments repeatedly miss remediation dates but audit management reports closure rates without aging analysis. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Quality monitoring should reveal overdue high-risk actions and escalation effectiveness.
- Follow-up must evaluate whether remediation controls are effectively implemented, not just promised.
- An audit must cover the controls relevant to the stated reporting objective across service-provider boundaries.
- A detective control must include timely response and accountability to reduce exposure.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Quality monitoring should reveal overdue high-risk actions and escalation effectiveness. The corresponding audit procedure is: Compare commitment dates, risk rankings, actual implementation and repeat deferrals.
Incorrect Answers
B:Follow-up must evaluate whether remediation controls are effectively implemented, not just promised. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Post-audit follow-up marks a critical password weakness closed solely because management sent a completion email. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Quality monitoring should reveal overdue high-risk actions and escalation effectiveness. The governing distinction is: Quality monitoring should reveal overdue high-risk actions and escalation effectiveness.
C:An audit must cover the controls relevant to the stated reporting objective across service-provider boundaries. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A financial reporting controls audit tests only the cloud provider's availability status but ignores the customer's application controls. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Quality monitoring should reveal overdue high-risk actions and escalation effectiveness. The governing distinction is: Quality monitoring should reveal overdue high-risk actions and escalation effectiveness.
D:A detective control must include timely response and accountability to reduce exposure. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A monitoring alert is generated for suspicious transfers, but no owner is assigned to investigate or close it. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Quality monitoring should reveal overdue high-risk actions and escalation effectiveness. The governing distinction is: Quality monitoring should reveal overdue high-risk actions and escalation effectiveness.
Question 226
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: An external contractor offers the auditor a valuable gift while a supplier compliance assessment is being finalized. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Independently retest the agreed corrective action and record any residual exposure.
- Escalate unresolved pressure through the chief audit executive and retain the supported finding.
- Decline the benefit, disclose the approach and apply the organization's ethics process.
- Rebuild the population including historical departures before selecting test items.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Decline the benefit, disclose the approach and apply the organization's ethics process. The relevant control principle is: Perceived or actual conflicts undermine the credibility of objective audit judgment. A meaningful follow-up should establish: The engagement record shows independent decisions and an appropriately handled ethics disclosure.
Incorrect Answers
A:Independently retest the agreed corrective action and record any residual exposure. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Post-audit follow-up marks a critical password weakness closed solely because management sent a completion email. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Decline the benefit, disclose the approach and apply the organization's ethics process. The governing distinction is: Perceived or actual conflicts undermine the credibility of objective audit judgment.
B:Escalate unresolved pressure through the chief audit executive and retain the supported finding. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A chief information officer asks the audit lead to remove a supported high-risk finding before it reaches the audit committee. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Decline the benefit, disclose the approach and apply the organization's ethics process. The governing distinction is: Perceived or actual conflicts undermine the credibility of objective audit judgment.
D:Rebuild the population including historical departures before selecting test items. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A database access audit receives a file containing only current active users although it must assess leavers over the last quarter. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Decline the benefit, disclose the approach and apply the organization's ethics process. The governing distinction is: Perceived or actual conflicts undermine the credibility of objective audit judgment.
Question 227
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: A retail chain replaces laptops but leaves decommissioned drives untracked with a disposal contractor. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- Full valid descriptions survive transfer and oversized payloads generate tracked exceptions.
- Each retired device reconciles to approved erasure or destruction evidence and authorized release.
- Unowned and unsupported assets are identified and assigned timely disposition.
- A representative provider outage does not disable every required inter-site service.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Each retired device reconciles to approved erasure or destruction evidence and authorized release. It addresses it asset management. Underlying audit concern: Asset lifecycle management must control custody and data disposition at retirement.
Incorrect Answers
A:Full valid descriptions survive transfer and oversized payloads generate tracked exceptions. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An inventory API responds successfully while silently truncating long product descriptions during integration. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Each retired device reconciles to approved erasure or destruction evidence and authorized release. The governing distinction is: Asset lifecycle management must control custody and data disposition at retirement.
C:Unowned and unsupported assets are identified and assigned timely disposition. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An IT inventory lists hundreds of production servers without owners or support end dates. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Each retired device reconciles to approved erasure or destruction evidence and authorized release. The governing distinction is: Asset lifecycle management must control custody and data disposition at retirement.
D:A representative provider outage does not disable every required inter-site service. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Two data centers have separate buildings but share one telecom carrier and underground duct. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Each retired device reconciles to approved erasure or destruction evidence and authorized release. The governing distinction is: Asset lifecycle management must control custody and data disposition at retirement.
Question 228
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: The annual audit plan gives equal effort to a low-risk intranet and a newly acquired payment processing platform. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Repair the approved monitoring feed and add completeness checks before reliance.
- Have the audit director assign an independent reviewer and disclose the conflict to appropriate oversight.
- Rate the interface using consistent likelihood and impact criteria before scheduling assurance work.
- Reprioritize the plan toward the higher-risk system and record the risk rationale.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Reprioritize the plan toward the higher-risk system and record the risk rationale. The relevant control principle is: Audit resources should be allocated according to assessed risk and organizational priorities. A meaningful follow-up should establish: The approved plan allocates coverage and audit hours in line with documented material risk.
Incorrect Answers
A:Repair the approved monitoring feed and add completeness checks before reliance. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A continuous monitoring dashboard reports zero failed access attempts because its collection job stopped three days ago. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Reprioritize the plan toward the higher-risk system and record the risk rationale. The governing distinction is: Audit resources should be allocated according to assessed risk and organizational priorities.
B:Have the audit director assign an independent reviewer and disclose the conflict to appropriate oversight. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An internal auditor helped configure the privileged-access system now scheduled for an assurance review. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Reprioritize the plan toward the higher-risk system and record the risk rationale. The governing distinction is: Audit resources should be allocated according to assessed risk and organizational priorities.
C:Rate the interface using consistent likelihood and impact criteria before scheduling assurance work. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An auditor cannot decide whether to review a high-impact legacy billing interface because no recent incidents are recorded. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Reprioritize the plan toward the higher-risk system and record the risk rationale. The governing distinction is: Audit resources should be allocated according to assessed risk and organizational priorities.
Question 229
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: A malicious attachment launches a child process and connects to an unfamiliar command server. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- An attack sequence should be assessed using corroborated indicators and business impact.
- Overbroad classification can undermine effective enforcement and incident response.
- Attack analysis should connect execution, persistence and communications evidence.
- Strong authentication should match privileged remote access risk and enterprise policy.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Attack analysis should connect execution, persistence and communications evidence. The corresponding audit procedure is: Review endpoint process lineage, hash reputation, network flows and host impact.
Incorrect Answers
A:An attack sequence should be assessed using corroborated indicators and business impact. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Repeated impossible-travel sign-ins occur before a finance account initiates unusual transfers. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Attack analysis should connect execution, persistence and communications evidence. The governing distinction is: Attack analysis should connect execution, persistence and communications evidence.
B:Overbroad classification can undermine effective enforcement and incident response. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A research team labels every file confidential, generating excessive DLP false positives and routine overrides. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Attack analysis should connect execution, persistence and communications evidence. The governing distinction is: Attack analysis should connect execution, persistence and communications evidence.
D:Strong authentication should match privileged remote access risk and enterprise policy. 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 principle is: Attack analysis should connect execution, persistence and communications evidence. The governing distinction is: Attack analysis should connect execution, persistence and communications evidence.
Question 230
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: A payroll system uses post-payment anomaly reports but has no approval requirement for changing bank accounts. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Risk-based communication should prioritize material implications and provide traceable support.
- A detective control must include timely response and accountability to reduce exposure.
- Detective review does not automatically replace an effective preventive authorization control.
- Absence of reported incidents is not proof of low inherent or residual risk.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Detective review does not automatically replace an effective preventive authorization control. The corresponding audit procedure is: Inspect account-change workflow, approver segregation and exception follow-up records.
Incorrect Answers
A:Risk-based communication should prioritize material implications and provide traceable support. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A board report includes hundreds of raw test details but fails to distinguish enterprise-critical findings. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Detective review does not automatically replace an effective preventive authorization control. The governing distinction is: Detective review does not automatically replace an effective preventive authorization control.
B:A detective control must include timely response and accountability to reduce exposure. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A monitoring alert is generated for suspicious transfers, but no owner is assigned to investigate or close it. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Detective review does not automatically replace an effective preventive authorization control. The governing distinction is: Detective review does not automatically replace an effective preventive authorization control.
D:Absence of reported incidents is not proof of low inherent or residual risk. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An auditor cannot decide whether to review a high-impact legacy billing interface because no recent incidents are recorded. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Detective review does not automatically replace an effective preventive authorization control. The governing distinction is: Detective review does not automatically replace an effective preventive authorization control.