Isaca CISA Practice Test 57
Question 560
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A completed software project is archived without documenting incidents and change causes from the first operating month. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend risk-based release gates and accountable authorization in the pipeline.
- Recommend a structured post-implementation review with improvement assignments.
- Recommend benefit-gap analysis with assigned corrective owners and target dates.
- Recommend controlled traceability updates and reapproval when significant needs change.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Recommend a structured post-implementation review with improvement assignments. The relevant control principle is: Lessons learned and operational handoff should feed governance and future improvements. A meaningful follow-up should establish: The project closure record includes validated benefits, outstanding risks and lessons implemented.
Incorrect Answers
A: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 structured post-implementation review with improvement assignments. The governing distinction is: Lessons learned and operational handoff should feed governance and future improvements.
C:Recommend benefit-gap analysis with assigned corrective owners and target dates. 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 recommendation is: Recommend a structured post-implementation review with improvement assignments. The governing distinction is: Lessons learned and operational handoff should feed governance and future improvements.
D:Recommend controlled traceability updates and reapproval when significant needs change. 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 recommendation is: Recommend a structured post-implementation review with improvement assignments. The governing distinction is: Lessons learned and operational handoff should feed governance and future improvements.
Question 561
Before reaching an audit conclusion, consider: A vendor's product demonstration uses sanitized sample data while the production workload needs complex legacy mappings. Which evidence should the auditor review FIRST to evaluate this risk?
- Review steering committee minutes, stage-gate decisions and responsibility assignments.
- Recalculate lifetime costs, benefit timing, support effort and discount assumptions.
- Compare actual legacy schema, data quality, integration needs and demonstration assumptions.
- Inspect emergency approval, impact assessment, configuration snapshots and recovery steps.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Compare actual legacy schema, data quality, integration needs and demonstration assumptions. The governing principle is: Feasibility conclusions require representative conditions and identified implementation constraints.
Incorrect Answers
A:Review steering committee minutes, stage-gate decisions and responsibility assignments. 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 audit step is: Compare actual legacy schema, data quality, integration needs and demonstration assumptions. The governing distinction is: Feasibility conclusions require representative conditions and identified implementation constraints.
B:Recalculate lifetime costs, benefit timing, support effort and discount assumptions. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An automation business case counts staff savings but omits new licenses, monitoring and transition costs. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Compare actual legacy schema, data quality, integration needs and demonstration assumptions. The governing distinction is: Feasibility conclusions require representative conditions and identified implementation constraints.
D:Inspect emergency approval, impact assessment, configuration snapshots and recovery steps. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An emergency patch goes live without a rollback plan or verification of required interfaces. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Compare actual legacy schema, data quality, integration needs and demonstration assumptions. The governing distinction is: Feasibility conclusions require representative conditions and identified implementation constraints.
Question 562
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A risk register identifies unpatched critical servers but assigns the mitigation decision to the auditor. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend independent service-level validation and dispute or corrective-action processes.
- Recommend reassessing impact and escalating acceptance above delegated limits.
- Report missing management ownership and recommend formal risk treatment assignment.
- Recommend contractual service, notification, assurance and exit requirements before acceptance.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Report missing management ownership and recommend formal risk treatment assignment. The relevant control principle is: Management owns risk treatment; the auditor evaluates its governance and effectiveness. A meaningful follow-up should establish: The risk record identifies an authorized owner, action, due date and monitored residual risk.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recommend independent service-level validation and dispute or corrective-action processes. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Management accepts monthly vendor summaries without independently checking service-level breaches. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Report missing management ownership and recommend formal risk treatment assignment. The governing distinction is: Management owns risk treatment; the auditor evaluates its governance and effectiveness.
B:Recommend reassessing impact and escalating acceptance above delegated limits. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A department labels a customer outage risk acceptable because its probability is low without evaluating financial impact. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Report missing management ownership and recommend formal risk treatment assignment. The governing distinction is: Management owns risk treatment; the auditor evaluates its governance and effectiveness.
D:Recommend contractual service, notification, assurance and exit requirements before acceptance. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A SaaS provider promises 99.9% uptime in a brochure but the signed agreement contains no measurable recovery commitment. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Report missing management ownership and recommend formal risk treatment assignment. The governing distinction is: Management owns risk treatment; the auditor evaluates its governance and effectiveness.
Question 563
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: A new inventory system's disaster-recovery test is deferred because normal transaction testing passes. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- Representative payroll runs calculate and post deductions correctly before deployment.
- Sprint samples show security controls implemented and tested before acceptance.
- Restoration testing meets agreed data-loss and service-recovery objectives.
- Follow-up metrics demonstrate whether the approved onboarding outcome is achieved.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Restoration testing meets agreed data-loss and service-recovery objectives. It addresses system readiness and implementation testing. Underlying audit concern: Functional success does not demonstrate recoverability or continuity readiness.
Incorrect Answers
A:Representative payroll runs calculate and post deductions correctly before deployment. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A payroll release passes developer unit tests but has never completed end-to-end statutory deduction testing. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Restoration testing meets agreed data-loss and service-recovery objectives. The governing distinction is: Functional success does not demonstrate recoverability or continuity readiness.
B:Sprint samples show security controls implemented and tested before acceptance. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An agile team delivers features every sprint but security stories are never included in the product backlog. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Restoration testing meets agreed data-loss and service-recovery objectives. The governing distinction is: Functional success does not demonstrate recoverability or continuity readiness.
D: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: Restoration testing meets agreed data-loss and service-recovery objectives. The governing distinction is: Functional success does not demonstrate recoverability or continuity readiness.
Question 564
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A fire-suppression system passes annual inspections but a rack's temperature sensors have never alarmed under test. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend routine environmental sensor functional tests with ownership of alerts.
- Recommend appropriate revocation validation and monitored failure handling.
- Recommend consistent risk-based DLP controls across authorized transfer channels.
- Recommend monitored and secured emergency access consistent with life-safety requirements.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Recommend routine environmental sensor functional tests with ownership of alerts. The relevant control principle is: Environmental protection requires functioning detection, alerting and appropriate response. A meaningful follow-up should establish: Controlled threshold simulations generate timely alerts and documented response.
Incorrect Answers
B: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 routine environmental sensor functional tests with ownership of alerts. The governing distinction is: Environmental protection requires functioning detection, alerting and appropriate response.
C:Recommend consistent risk-based DLP controls across authorized transfer channels. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A DLP tool blocks confidential document attachments but ignores similar files uploaded through approved web browsers. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend routine environmental sensor functional tests with ownership of alerts. The governing distinction is: Environmental protection requires functioning detection, alerting and appropriate response.
D:Recommend monitored and secured emergency access consistent with life-safety requirements. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A server room uses badge access but an unattended emergency door allows unrecorded entry. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend routine environmental sensor functional tests with ownership of alerts. The governing distinction is: Environmental protection requires functioning detection, alerting and appropriate response.
Question 565
Before reaching an audit conclusion, consider: An audit director relies on peer sign-offs that were completed by the same person who prepared each working paper. Which evidence should the auditor review FIRST to evaluate this risk?
- Compare transaction value, exposure, change velocity, recent incidents and prior assurance coverage.
- Compare past and current sampling standards, review findings and documentation quality.
- Review required technical tests, skill inventory, schedules and critical-path tasks.
- Check reviewer identities, permissions, timestamps and supervisory quality policy.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Check reviewer identities, permissions, timestamps and supervisory quality policy. The governing principle is: Independent workpaper review is undermined by self-approval.
Incorrect Answers
A:Compare transaction value, exposure, change velocity, recent incidents and prior assurance coverage. 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 audit step is: Check reviewer identities, permissions, timestamps and supervisory quality policy. The governing distinction is: Independent workpaper review is undermined by self-approval.
B:Compare past and current sampling standards, review findings and documentation quality. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An audit team changes sampling procedures each quarter without documenting why results are no longer comparable. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Check reviewer identities, permissions, timestamps and supervisory quality policy. The governing distinction is: Independent workpaper review is undermined by self-approval.
C: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: Check reviewer identities, permissions, timestamps and supervisory quality policy. The governing distinction is: Independent workpaper review is undermined by self-approval.
Question 566
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: An auditor cannot decide whether to review a high-impact legacy billing interface because no recent incidents are recorded. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Rate the interface using consistent likelihood and impact criteria before scheduling assurance work.
- Expand the risk-based audit scope to include relevant customer controls and complementary provider assurances.
- Set defensible risk-based objectives and seek audit leadership approval for any scope restriction.
- Rebuild the population including historical departures before selecting test items.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Rate the interface using consistent likelihood and impact criteria before scheduling assurance work. The relevant control principle is: Absence of reported incidents is not proof of low inherent or residual risk. A meaningful follow-up should establish: The audit priority follows supported exposure and control evidence, not incident counts alone.
Incorrect Answers
B:Expand the risk-based audit scope to include relevant customer controls and complementary provider assurances. 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 recommendation is: Rate the interface using consistent likelihood and impact criteria before scheduling assurance work. The governing distinction is: Absence of reported incidents is not proof of low inherent or residual risk.
C:Set defensible risk-based objectives and seek audit leadership approval for any scope restriction. 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 recommendation is: Rate the interface using consistent likelihood and impact criteria before scheduling assurance work. The governing distinction is: Absence of reported incidents is not proof of low inherent or residual risk.
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: Rate the interface using consistent likelihood and impact criteria before scheduling assurance work. The governing distinction is: Absence of reported incidents is not proof of low inherent or residual risk.
Question 567
Before reaching an audit conclusion, consider: A payment service uses a load balancer, two application servers and one database but its diagram lists only the web servers as critical. Which evidence should the auditor review FIRST to evaluate this risk?
- Review spreadsheet logic, versioning, reconciliations, owners and manual overrides.
- Review network routes, partner links, certificates and recovery site failover plans.
- Trace authentication flows, identity-provider status and documented contingency requirements.
- Map live transactions through compute, middleware, database, network and shared dependencies.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Map live transactions through compute, middleware, database, network and shared dependencies. The governing principle is: End-to-end service availability depends on all critical infrastructure and application components.
Incorrect Answers
A:Review spreadsheet logic, versioning, reconciliations, owners and manual overrides. 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 audit step is: Map live transactions through compute, middleware, database, network and shared dependencies. The governing distinction is: End-to-end service availability depends on all critical infrastructure and application components.
B:Review network routes, partner links, certificates and recovery site failover plans. 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 audit step is: Map live transactions through compute, middleware, database, network and shared dependencies. The governing distinction is: End-to-end service availability depends on all critical infrastructure and application components.
C:Trace authentication flows, identity-provider status and documented contingency requirements. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A cloud-hosted application has healthy virtual machines but customer logins fail when its external identity service is unavailable. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Map live transactions through compute, middleware, database, network and shared dependencies. The governing distinction is: End-to-end service availability depends on all critical infrastructure and application components.
Question 568
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: Software licenses are renewed using last year's device counts despite major decommissioning. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Policies require supporting measurable standards, procedures and accountable enforcement.
- Compliance obligations vary by location, data activity, contract and regulatory scope.
- Critical skill dependencies should be addressed in resource and continuity planning.
- License governance should reconcile entitlement, actual use and lifecycle changes.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:License governance should reconcile entitlement, actual use and lifecycle changes. The corresponding audit procedure is: Compare vendor entitlements, deployments, retirements and usage evidence.
Incorrect Answers
A:Policies require supporting measurable standards, procedures and accountable enforcement. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A cyber policy states that access must be secure but provides no enforceable standard for privileged identities. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: License governance should reconcile entitlement, actual use and lifecycle changes. The governing distinction is: License governance should reconcile entitlement, actual use and lifecycle changes.
B:Compliance obligations vary by location, data activity, contract and regulatory scope. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A multinational cloud project assumes a control compliant in one country automatically satisfies every jurisdiction in which data is processed. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: License governance should reconcile entitlement, actual use and lifecycle changes. The governing distinction is: License governance should reconcile entitlement, actual use and lifecycle changes.
C:Critical skill dependencies should be addressed in resource and continuity planning. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A planned analytics launch relies on one database specialist who has no trained backup. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: License governance should reconcile entitlement, actual use and lifecycle changes. The governing distinction is: License governance should reconcile entitlement, actual use and lifecycle changes.
Question 569
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: An auditee disputes an audit exception by supplying a later control fix, then asks to erase the historical finding. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- The report accurately distinguishes observed noncompliance from subsequently verified correction.
- Sample alerts have timely decisions, documented resolution and escalation when overdue.
- Known test events appear and processing totals reconcile after ingestion recovery.
- The final report enables leadership to understand exposure and track a measurable remediation.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:The report accurately distinguishes observed noncompliance from subsequently verified correction. It addresses reporting and communication techniques. Underlying audit concern: Remediation after the audit period does not retroactively prove the control operated during that period.
Incorrect Answers
B:Sample alerts have timely decisions, documented resolution and escalation when overdue. 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 verification is: The report accurately distinguishes observed noncompliance from subsequently verified correction. The governing distinction is: Remediation after the audit period does not retroactively prove the control operated during that period.
C:Known test events appear and processing totals reconcile after ingestion recovery. 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 verification is: The report accurately distinguishes observed noncompliance from subsequently verified correction. The governing distinction is: Remediation after the audit period does not retroactively prove the control operated during that period.
D:The final report enables leadership to understand exposure and track a measurable remediation. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A report calls a firewall exception critical but provides no business impact, cause or responsible owner. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: The report accurately distinguishes observed noncompliance from subsequently verified correction. The governing distinction is: Remediation after the audit period does not retroactively prove the control operated during that period.
Question 570
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: A cloud move assumes existing encryption keys will work in the target without import or custody testing. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- A migrated encrypted sample is accessible to authorized users and remains protected.
- Target balances, exceptions and sampled loan histories reconcile to source records.
- Invalid or manipulated requests are blocked and legitimate transactions remain correct.
- Sample and aggregate source-to-target totals agree or documented exceptions are resolved.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:A migrated encrypted sample is accessible to authorized users and remains protected. It addresses system migration, infrastructure deployment, and data conversion. Underlying audit concern: Migration design must preserve cryptographic dependencies and data accessibility.
Incorrect Answers
B:Target balances, exceptions and sampled loan histories reconcile to source records. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A bank converts 20 years of loan records into a new core system and reconciles only total record counts. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: A migrated encrypted sample is accessible to authorized users and remains protected. The governing distinction is: Migration design must preserve cryptographic dependencies and data accessibility.
C:Invalid or manipulated requests are blocked and legitimate transactions remain correct. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A payment API relies on user-supplied transaction values without server-side validation. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: A migrated encrypted sample is accessible to authorized users and remains protected. The governing distinction is: Migration design must preserve cryptographic dependencies and data accessibility.
D:Sample and aggregate source-to-target totals agree or documented exceptions are resolved. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A data migration design encrypts transfers but does not detect missing or duplicated customer records. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: A migrated encrypted sample is accessible to authorized users and remains protected. The governing distinction is: Migration design must preserve cryptographic dependencies and data accessibility.