Isaca CISA Practice Test 4
Question 30
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: A nightly settlement batch fails halfway but the scheduler marks the entire chain successful. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Severe incidents require priority-based classification and timely escalation paths.
- Automated jobs require dependency, exception and completion controls for reliable processing.
- Log retention should align with business, legal, incident and privacy requirements.
- Job automation changes should be authorized, versioned and attributable.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Automated jobs require dependency, exception and completion controls for reliable processing. The corresponding audit procedure is: Inspect job exit codes, dependency configuration, completion records and reconciliation totals.
Incorrect Answers
A:Severe incidents require priority-based classification and timely escalation paths. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A major cyber outage is escalated only after normal helpdesk response times expire. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Automated jobs require dependency, exception and completion controls for reliable processing. The governing distinction is: Automated jobs require dependency, exception and completion controls for reliable processing.
C: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: Automated jobs require dependency, exception and completion controls for reliable processing. The governing distinction is: Automated jobs require dependency, exception and completion controls for reliable processing.
D: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: Automated jobs require dependency, exception and completion controls for reliable processing. The governing distinction is: Automated jobs require dependency, exception and completion controls for reliable processing.
Question 31
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: An endpoint dashboard displays every system as healthy even though remote devices have stopped forwarding telemetry. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend a risk-based coordinated containment protocol with defined emergency powers.
- Recommend coverage and ingestion-gap alarms alongside threat detections.
- Recommend compliant device controls and prompt token invalidation or managed wipe.
- Recommend risk-based detection rules linking authentication anomalies to privileged activity.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Recommend coverage and ingestion-gap alarms alongside threat detections. The relevant control principle is: Monitoring reliability requires completeness, heartbeat and sensor-health validation. A meaningful follow-up should establish: A disconnected device is quickly identified as unmonitored rather than healthy.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recommend a risk-based coordinated containment protocol with defined emergency powers. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A security team isolates a suspicious server without informing its critical care business owner, interrupting clinical operations. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend coverage and ingestion-gap alarms alongside threat detections. The governing distinction is: Monitoring reliability requires completeness, heartbeat and sensor-health validation.
C:Recommend compliant device controls and prompt token invalidation or managed wipe. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A lost employee phone still accesses confidential mail because device compliance and remote wipe were never enabled. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend coverage and ingestion-gap alarms alongside threat detections. The governing distinction is: Monitoring reliability requires completeness, heartbeat and sensor-health validation.
D:Recommend risk-based detection rules linking authentication anomalies to privileged activity. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A SOC receives repeated login alerts but does not correlate them with high-value account privilege changes. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend coverage and ingestion-gap alarms alongside threat detections. The governing distinction is: Monitoring reliability requires completeness, heartbeat and sensor-health validation.
Question 32
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: A threat-intelligence feed generates blocks for obsolete indicators without regular relevance review. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Threat monitoring should assess indicator freshness, context and false-positive effects.
- Encryption at rest does not control authorized-account misuse or data access in processing.
- Conflicting business permissions create opportunities for unauthorized transactions.
- Security monitoring should correlate relevant signals into actionable risk scenarios.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Threat monitoring should assess indicator freshness, context and false-positive effects. The corresponding audit procedure is: Inspect feed timestamps, matched events, expiration rules and legitimate-traffic impact.
Incorrect Answers
B:Encryption at rest does not control authorized-account misuse or data access in processing. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A database encrypts storage disks but application administrators can export plaintext sensitive records without monitoring. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Threat monitoring should assess indicator freshness, context and false-positive effects. The governing distinction is: Threat monitoring should assess indicator freshness, context and false-positive effects.
C:Conflicting business permissions create opportunities for unauthorized transactions. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An accounts-payable supervisor can both create vendors and approve their first payments. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Threat monitoring should assess indicator freshness, context and false-positive effects. The governing distinction is: Threat monitoring should assess indicator freshness, context and false-positive effects.
D:Security monitoring should correlate relevant signals into actionable risk scenarios. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A SOC receives repeated login alerts but does not correlate them with high-value account privilege changes. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Threat monitoring should assess indicator freshness, context and false-positive effects. The governing distinction is: Threat monitoring should assess indicator freshness, context and false-positive effects.
Question 33
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: Multiple servers use unsynchronized clocks so a transaction appears to complete before it begins. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Recovery objectives must include process dependencies and end-to-end recovery viability.
- Log retention should align with business, legal, incident and privacy requirements.
- Configuration accuracy is necessary for impact analysis and controlled service changes.
- Reliable log correlation depends on consistent time and original event provenance.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Reliable log correlation depends on consistent time and original event provenance. The corresponding audit procedure is: Compare NTP status, clock drift, timezone settings and source event timestamps.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recovery objectives must include process dependencies and end-to-end recovery viability. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A business owner specifies a one-hour RTO but has never identified which external dependencies must also be restored. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Reliable log correlation depends on consistent time and original event provenance. The governing distinction is: Reliable log correlation depends on consistent time and original event provenance.
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: Reliable log correlation depends on consistent time and original event provenance. The governing distinction is: Reliable log correlation depends on consistent time and original event provenance.
C:Configuration accuracy is necessary for impact analysis and controlled service changes. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A configuration database lists a retired server as the active owner of a production application. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Reliable log correlation depends on consistent time and original event provenance. The governing distinction is: Reliable log correlation depends on consistent time and original event provenance.
Question 34
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A highly available application uses only one privileged administrator who is unavailable during a holiday. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend tested alternate operator coverage and controlled emergency access.
- Recommend dependency register updates and tested risk-based failover procedures.
- Recommend protected incident evidence retention and audited deletion rules.
- Recommend proactive log management and capacity alarms without impairing recovery.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Recommend tested alternate operator coverage and controlled emergency access. The relevant control principle is: Resilience depends on trained personnel and procedures as well as redundant technology. A meaningful follow-up should establish: A qualified alternate restores service without bypassing authorization or audit trails.
Incorrect Answers
B:Recommend dependency register updates and tested risk-based failover procedures. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A supplier dependency map omits a critical cloud DNS service used by every customer-facing application. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend tested alternate operator coverage and controlled emergency access. The governing distinction is: Resilience depends on trained personnel and procedures as well as redundant technology.
C:Recommend protected incident evidence retention and audited deletion rules. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A service desk deletes incident attachments when tickets are closed, preventing later regulatory review. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend tested alternate operator coverage and controlled emergency access. The governing distinction is: Resilience depends on trained personnel and procedures as well as redundant technology.
D:Recommend proactive log management and capacity alarms without impairing recovery. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Database transaction logs fill the only disk volume and cause a payment service outage. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend tested alternate operator coverage and controlled emergency access. The governing distinction is: Resilience depends on trained personnel and procedures as well as redundant technology.
Question 35
Before reaching an audit conclusion, consider: A board report includes hundreds of raw test details but fails to distinguish enterprise-critical findings. Which evidence should the auditor review FIRST to evaluate this risk?
- Separate audit-period evidence, remediation date and independent retest results.
- Recalculate the deviation rate, sample size, population and observed exceptions.
- Analyze risk ratings, affected processes, residual exposure and stakeholder decisions needed.
- Reconcile HR departures and access history against the access extract's coverage dates.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Analyze risk ratings, affected processes, residual exposure and stakeholder decisions needed. The governing principle is: Risk-based communication should prioritize material implications and provide traceable support.
Incorrect Answers
A:Separate audit-period evidence, remediation date and independent retest results. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An auditee disputes an audit exception by supplying a later control fix, then asks to erase the historical finding. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Analyze risk ratings, affected processes, residual exposure and stakeholder decisions needed. The governing distinction is: Risk-based communication should prioritize material implications and provide traceable support.
B:Recalculate the deviation rate, sample size, population and observed exceptions. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A sample of authorized changes contains failures, yet the auditor extrapolates a zero-percent exception rate. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Analyze risk ratings, affected processes, residual exposure and stakeholder decisions needed. The governing distinction is: Risk-based communication should prioritize material implications and provide traceable support.
D:Reconcile HR departures and access history against the access extract's coverage dates. 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 audit step is: Analyze risk ratings, affected processes, residual exposure and stakeholder decisions needed. The governing distinction is: Risk-based communication should prioritize material implications and provide traceable support.
Question 36
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: A critical provider exits the market and the customer has no usable data export or transition rights. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Vendor exit planning is necessary to manage concentration and operational continuity risk.
- Privacy response effectiveness depends on a reliable data inventory and ownership.
- Third-party governance must extend material controls and data obligations to subcontractors.
- Risk exceptions require periodic review against changing exposure and acceptance authority.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Vendor exit planning is necessary to manage concentration and operational continuity risk. The corresponding audit procedure is: Inspect portability clauses, data format, transition timing and alternative service readiness.
Incorrect Answers
B:Privacy response effectiveness depends on a reliable data inventory and ownership. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An organization receives data subject requests but cannot locate personal records spread across cloud and on-premise systems. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Vendor exit planning is necessary to manage concentration and operational continuity risk. The governing distinction is: Vendor exit planning is necessary to manage concentration and operational continuity risk.
C:Third-party governance must extend material controls and data obligations to subcontractors. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A subcontractor stores confidential records in a region excluded by the prime provider's contract. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Vendor exit planning is necessary to manage concentration and operational continuity risk. The governing distinction is: Vendor exit planning is necessary to manage concentration and operational continuity risk.
D:Risk exceptions require periodic review against changing exposure and acceptance authority. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A vendor incident triggers a temporary exception but the residual risk is never reconsidered after six months. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Vendor exit planning is necessary to manage concentration and operational continuity risk. The governing distinction is: Vendor exit planning is necessary to manage concentration and operational continuity risk.
Question 37
Before reaching an audit conclusion, consider: A compliance audit is due in four weeks but its only database specialist is assigned to an unrelated engagement. Which evidence should the auditor review FIRST to evaluate this risk?
- Compare approved charter, new testing requests, risk justification and effort forecast.
- Inspect extraction provenance, timestamps, privileges used and original system records.
- Review required technical tests, skill inventory, schedules and critical-path tasks.
- Reconcile unique user IDs, row counts and cardinality before and after joins.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Review required technical tests, skill inventory, schedules and critical-path tasks. The governing principle is: Audit project plans must match specialist resources to scope, dependencies and deadlines.
Incorrect Answers
A:Compare approved charter, new testing requests, risk justification and effort forecast. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Fieldwork expands to a new subsidiary without updating the approved engagement scope or communicating budget impact. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Review required technical tests, skill inventory, schedules and critical-path tasks. The governing distinction is: Audit project plans must match specialist resources to scope, dependencies and deadlines.
B:Inspect extraction provenance, timestamps, privileges used and original system records. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A system owner provides a screenshot of an access list without a timestamp or source-system identification. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Review required technical tests, skill inventory, schedules and critical-path tasks. The governing distinction is: Audit project plans must match specialist resources to scope, dependencies and deadlines.
D:Reconcile unique user IDs, row counts and cardinality before and after joins. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An audit query joins employee and privilege tables but mistakenly duplicates rows for users with multiple roles. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Review required technical tests, skill inventory, schedules and critical-path tasks. The governing distinction is: Audit project plans must match specialist resources to scope, dependencies and deadlines.
Question 38
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: A vendor's audit log is editable by the same administrator whose changes are under investigation. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Service-provider assurance must cover the actual period and relevant control objectives.
- Evidence integrity and independence are weakened when subjects can alter the only record.
- Audit resources should be allocated according to assessed risk and organizational priorities.
- Advisory assessments and assurance engagements have different scopes, evidence needs and reporting obligations.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Evidence integrity and independence are weakened when subjects can alter the only record. The corresponding audit procedure is: Check event forwarding, immutable storage controls, access logs and clock accuracy.
Incorrect Answers
A:Service-provider assurance must cover the actual period and relevant control objectives. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A supplier gives the audit team a third-party control report that expired before the review period. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Evidence integrity and independence are weakened when subjects can alter the only record. The governing distinction is: Evidence integrity and independence are weakened when subjects can alter the only record.
C:Audit resources should be allocated according to assessed risk and organizational priorities. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: The annual audit plan gives equal effort to a low-risk intranet and a newly acquired payment processing platform. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Evidence integrity and independence are weakened when subjects can alter the only record. The governing distinction is: Evidence integrity and independence are weakened when subjects can alter the only record.
D:Advisory assessments and assurance engagements have different scopes, evidence needs and reporting obligations. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Management calls a readiness workshop a completed audit even though no testing or assurance opinion was planned. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Evidence integrity and independence are weakened when subjects can alter the only record. The governing distinction is: Evidence integrity and independence are weakened when subjects can alter the only record.
Question 39
Before reaching an audit conclusion, consider: The annual audit plan gives equal effort to a low-risk intranet and a newly acquired payment processing platform. Which evidence should the auditor review FIRST to evaluate this risk?
- Compare transaction value, exposure, change velocity, recent incidents and prior assurance coverage.
- Review required technical tests, skill inventory, schedules and critical-path tasks.
- Inspect extraction provenance, timestamps, privileges used and original system records.
- Examine threat scenarios, regulatory exposure, process dependencies and proposed exclusions.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Compare transaction value, exposure, change velocity, recent incidents and prior assurance coverage. The governing principle is: Audit resources should be allocated according to assessed risk and organizational priorities.
Incorrect Answers
B:Review required technical tests, skill inventory, schedules and critical-path tasks. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A compliance audit is due in four weeks but its only database specialist is assigned to an unrelated engagement. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Compare transaction value, exposure, change velocity, recent incidents and prior assurance coverage. The governing distinction is: Audit resources should be allocated according to assessed risk and organizational priorities.
C:Inspect extraction provenance, timestamps, privileges used and original system records. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A system owner provides a screenshot of an access list without a timestamp or source-system identification. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Compare transaction value, exposure, change velocity, recent incidents and prior assurance coverage. The governing distinction is: Audit resources should be allocated according to assessed risk and organizational priorities.
D:Examine threat scenarios, regulatory exposure, process dependencies and proposed exclusions. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A business unit requests that internal audit review only controls selected by its system owner. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Compare transaction value, exposure, change velocity, recent incidents and prior assurance coverage. The governing distinction is: Audit resources should be allocated according to assessed risk and organizational priorities.
Question 40
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: A financial reporting controls audit tests only the cloud provider's availability status but ignores the customer's application controls. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- The engagement record shows independent decisions and an appropriately handled ethics disclosure.
- The issued report contains an evidence-grounded assessment and documented management response.
- Workpapers trace each material reporting risk to an appropriate control and test result.
- The final communication accurately distinguishes advice from an independently supported assurance opinion.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Workpapers trace each material reporting risk to an appropriate control and test result. It addresses types of audits, assessments, and reviews. Underlying audit concern: An audit must cover the controls relevant to the stated reporting objective across service-provider boundaries.
Incorrect Answers
A:The engagement record shows independent decisions and an appropriately handled ethics disclosure. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An external contractor offers the auditor a valuable gift while a supplier compliance assessment is being finalized. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Workpapers trace each material reporting risk to an appropriate control and test result. The governing distinction is: An audit must cover the controls relevant to the stated reporting objective across service-provider boundaries.
B:The issued report contains an evidence-grounded assessment and documented management response. 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 verification is: Workpapers trace each material reporting risk to an appropriate control and test result. The governing distinction is: An audit must cover the controls relevant to the stated reporting objective across service-provider boundaries.
D:The final communication accurately distinguishes advice from an independently supported assurance opinion. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Management calls a readiness workshop a completed audit even though no testing or assurance opinion was planned. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Workpapers trace each material reporting risk to an appropriate control and test result. The governing distinction is: An audit must cover the controls relevant to the stated reporting objective across service-provider boundaries.