Isaca CISA Practice Test 67
Question 660
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: Continuity leadership bases recovery priorities on annual revenue only and ignores safety-critical low-volume services. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend business-approved RPO and matching protection technology.
- Recommend a reconciled inventory with ownership and lifecycle attributes.
- Recommend integrated DR connectivity testing and remediation of broken dependencies.
- Recommend a multidimensional BIA with authorized recovery priorities.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Recommend a multidimensional BIA with authorized recovery priorities. The relevant control principle is: Business impact includes legal, safety, customer and operational harm beyond revenue. A meaningful follow-up should establish: Safety-critical services receive priority proportionate to validated harm.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recommend business-approved RPO and matching protection technology. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A sales system's backup schedule is chosen before the business determines acceptable data loss. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend a multidimensional BIA with authorized recovery priorities. The governing distinction is: Business impact includes legal, safety, customer and operational harm beyond revenue.
B:Recommend a reconciled inventory with ownership and lifecycle attributes. 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 recommendation is: Recommend a multidimensional BIA with authorized recovery priorities. The governing distinction is: Business impact includes legal, safety, customer and operational harm beyond revenue.
C:Recommend integrated DR connectivity testing and remediation of broken dependencies. 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 recommendation is: Recommend a multidimensional BIA with authorized recovery priorities. The governing distinction is: Business impact includes legal, safety, customer and operational harm beyond revenue.
Question 661
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A compliance dashboard reports all policies published but does not measure whether their security controls operate. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend a risk-based framework mapping with accountable control owners and periodic review.
- Recommend governed indicator lifecycle and context-based tuning.
- Recommend compliant device controls and prompt token invalidation or managed wipe.
- Recommend control-effectiveness metrics and independent testing for critical safeguards.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Recommend control-effectiveness metrics and independent testing for critical safeguards. The relevant control principle is: Security program maturity requires operational evidence rather than documentation counts alone. A meaningful follow-up should establish: Dashboards distinguish policy existence from verified control performance.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recommend a risk-based framework mapping with accountable control owners and periodic review. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A technology subsidiary adopts a security checklist that cannot be traced to its enterprise risk appetite or legal obligations. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend control-effectiveness metrics and independent testing for critical safeguards. The governing distinction is: Security program maturity requires operational evidence rather than documentation counts alone.
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 control-effectiveness metrics and independent testing for critical safeguards. The governing distinction is: Security program maturity requires operational evidence rather than documentation counts alone.
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 control-effectiveness metrics and independent testing for critical safeguards. The governing distinction is: Security program maturity requires operational evidence rather than documentation counts alone.
Question 662
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: A cloud platform is declared ready despite failed high-load tests and no capacity remediation plan. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- Each order appears once in the target system with reconciled business totals.
- Representative payroll runs calculate and post deductions correctly before deployment.
- Peak-load tests meet approved service thresholds with sufficient operating headroom.
- The project closure record includes validated benefits, outstanding risks and lessons implemented.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Peak-load tests meet approved service thresholds with sufficient operating headroom. It addresses system readiness and implementation testing. Underlying audit concern: Readiness gates should include measured nonfunctional acceptance under representative demand.
Incorrect Answers
A:Each order appears once in the target system with reconciled business totals. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An ERP cutover leaves the old interface running and duplicates orders in both systems. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Peak-load tests meet approved service thresholds with sufficient operating headroom. The governing distinction is: Readiness gates should include measured nonfunctional acceptance under representative demand.
B: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: Peak-load tests meet approved service thresholds with sufficient operating headroom. The governing distinction is: Readiness gates should include measured nonfunctional acceptance under representative demand.
D:The project closure record includes validated benefits, outstanding risks and lessons implemented. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A completed software project is archived without documenting incidents and change causes from the first operating month. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Peak-load tests meet approved service thresholds with sufficient operating headroom. The governing distinction is: Readiness gates should include measured nonfunctional acceptance under representative demand.
Question 663
Before reaching an audit conclusion, consider: Management accepts monthly vendor summaries without independently checking service-level breaches. Which evidence should the auditor review FIRST to evaluate this risk?
- Reconcile contract metrics with customer logs, ticket records and monitoring measurements.
- Review risk committee charters, decision rights and reporting relationships.
- Review delivery milestones, outstanding controls and revised forecast costs.
- Compare the current regulator publication, policy inventory and reporting workflow dates.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Reconcile contract metrics with customer logs, ticket records and monitoring measurements. The governing principle is: Oversight needs verified performance evidence and appropriate challenge of provider claims.
Incorrect Answers
B:Review risk committee charters, decision rights and reporting relationships. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A chief technology officer both accepts enterprise cyber risk and certifies the independence of the risk oversight function. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Reconcile contract metrics with customer logs, ticket records and monitoring measurements. The governing distinction is: Oversight needs verified performance evidence and appropriate challenge of provider claims.
C:Review delivery milestones, outstanding controls and revised forecast costs. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A change program reports all projects green by budget but ignores delayed security deliverables. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Reconcile contract metrics with customer logs, ticket records and monitoring measurements. The governing distinction is: Oversight needs verified performance evidence and appropriate challenge of provider claims.
D:Compare the current regulator publication, policy inventory and reporting workflow dates. 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 audit step is: Reconcile contract metrics with customer logs, ticket records and monitoring measurements. The governing distinction is: Oversight needs verified performance evidence and appropriate challenge of provider claims.
Question 664
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: A cloud architecture exception bypasses the organization's target zero-trust network segmentation without review. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Architectural deviations require formal risk evaluation and ownership.
- Governance measures should combine schedule, benefit, quality and risk indicators.
- Enterprise architecture should document target capabilities and integration or rationalization decisions.
- Management owns risk treatment; the auditor evaluates its governance and effectiveness.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Architectural deviations require formal risk evaluation and ownership. The corresponding audit procedure is: Inspect target architecture, proposed exception scope and affected trust boundaries.
Incorrect Answers
B:Governance measures should combine schedule, benefit, quality and risk indicators. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A change program reports all projects green by budget but ignores delayed security deliverables. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Architectural deviations require formal risk evaluation and ownership. The governing distinction is: Architectural deviations require formal risk evaluation and ownership.
C:Enterprise architecture should document target capabilities and integration or rationalization decisions. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A new acquisition builds duplicate identity and messaging platforms without considering existing enterprise capabilities. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Architectural deviations require formal risk evaluation and ownership. The governing distinction is: Architectural deviations require formal risk evaluation and ownership.
D:Management owns risk treatment; the auditor evaluates its governance and effectiveness. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A risk register identifies unpatched critical servers but assigns the mitigation decision to the auditor. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Architectural deviations require formal risk evaluation and ownership. The governing distinction is: Architectural deviations require formal risk evaluation and ownership.
Question 665
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A subcontractor stores confidential records in a region excluded by the prime provider's contract. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend calibrated criteria and transparent portfolio-level aggregation with limits noted.
- Escalate the unauthorized processing and require approved subprocessor controls or remediation.
- Recommend contractual service, notification, assurance and exit requirements before acceptance.
- Recommend a formally assessed update or compensating control with time-bound approval.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Escalate the unauthorized processing and require approved subprocessor controls or remediation. The relevant control principle is: Third-party governance must extend material controls and data obligations to subcontractors. A meaningful follow-up should establish: Verified storage locations and downstream contracts align with permitted processing.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recommend calibrated criteria and transparent portfolio-level aggregation with limits noted. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An enterprise applies one numeric risk score to cyber, safety and privacy exposures despite different materiality definitions. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Escalate the unauthorized processing and require approved subprocessor controls or remediation. The governing distinction is: Third-party governance must extend material controls and data obligations to subcontractors.
C: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: Escalate the unauthorized processing and require approved subprocessor controls or remediation. The governing distinction is: Third-party governance must extend material controls and data obligations to subcontractors.
D:Recommend a formally assessed update or compensating control with time-bound approval. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A legacy security standard remains mandatory even though new approved cloud services cannot technically meet it. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Escalate the unauthorized processing and require approved subprocessor controls or remediation. The governing distinction is: Third-party governance must extend material controls and data obligations to subcontractors.
Question 666
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: A ransomware incident plan focuses on restoring files but omits containment of compromised privileged identities. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend separating vendor creation from payment approval with documented emergency exceptions.
- Recommend defined legal and executive notification authority with tested deadlines.
- Recommend coordinated containment and validated clean recovery before reopening access.
- Recommend routine environmental sensor functional tests with ownership of alerts.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Recommend coordinated containment and validated clean recovery before reopening access. The relevant control principle is: Incident response must coordinate containment, eradication, restoration and business decision-making. A meaningful follow-up should establish: Restored services operate without active malicious access or unaddressed persistence.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recommend separating vendor creation from payment approval with documented emergency exceptions. 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 recommendation is: Recommend coordinated containment and validated clean recovery before reopening access. The governing distinction is: Incident response must coordinate containment, eradication, restoration and business decision-making.
B:Recommend defined legal and executive notification authority with tested deadlines. 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 recommendation is: Recommend coordinated containment and validated clean recovery before reopening access. The governing distinction is: Incident response must coordinate containment, eradication, restoration and business decision-making.
D:Recommend routine environmental sensor functional tests with ownership of alerts. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A fire-suppression system passes annual inspections but a rack's temperature sensors have never alarmed under test. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend coordinated containment and validated clean recovery before reopening access. The governing distinction is: Incident response must coordinate containment, eradication, restoration and business decision-making.
Question 667
An IS auditor evaluates this situation: A report calls a firewall exception critical but provides no business impact, cause or responsible owner. Which audit principle MOST directly applies to this situation?
- Material scope changes require controlled approval, resource assessment and stakeholder communication.
- Risk-based communication should prioritize material implications and provide traceable support.
- Inquiry alone is weaker than independently corroborated technical evidence.
- Actionable audit findings link condition, criteria, cause, effect and corrective ownership.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Actionable audit findings link condition, criteria, cause, effect and corrective ownership. The corresponding audit procedure is: Review the policy exception, applicable requirement, exposure evidence and management response.
Incorrect Answers
A:Material scope changes require controlled approval, resource assessment and stakeholder communication. 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 principle is: Actionable audit findings link condition, criteria, cause, effect and corrective ownership. The governing distinction is: Actionable audit findings link condition, criteria, cause, effect and corrective ownership.
B: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: Actionable audit findings link condition, criteria, cause, effect and corrective ownership. The governing distinction is: Actionable audit findings link condition, criteria, cause, effect and corrective ownership.
C:Inquiry alone is weaker than independently corroborated technical evidence. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Auditors receive conflicting statements from administrators about whether an encryption setting was enabled during the test period. In the present case, the most directly relevant principle is: Actionable audit findings link condition, criteria, cause, effect and corrective ownership. The governing distinction is: Actionable audit findings link condition, criteria, cause, effect and corrective ownership.
Question 668
An IS auditor is preparing recommendations after reviewing this situation: An accounts-payable supervisor can both create vendors and approve their first payments. Which recommendation would BEST address the identified weakness?
- Recommend minimal export entitlements and monitoring or blocking of unauthorized bulk transfers.
- Recommend separating vendor creation from payment approval with documented emergency exceptions.
- Recommend automated joiner-mover-leaver triggers and independent exception review.
- Recommend compliant device controls and prompt token invalidation or managed wipe.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Recommend separating vendor creation from payment approval with documented emergency exceptions. The relevant control principle is: Conflicting business permissions create opportunities for unauthorized transactions. A meaningful follow-up should establish: A test user cannot complete both conflicting actions without independent authorization.
Incorrect Answers
A:Recommend minimal export entitlements and monitoring or blocking of unauthorized bulk transfers. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A customer service portal allows employees to export unrestricted copies of all customer identity documents. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend separating vendor creation from payment approval with documented emergency exceptions. The governing distinction is: Conflicting business permissions create opportunities for unauthorized transactions.
C:Recommend automated joiner-mover-leaver triggers and independent exception review. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A departed finance employee's account remains enabled in a payroll application after HR termination. In the present case, the most directly relevant recommendation is: Recommend separating vendor creation from payment approval with documented emergency exceptions. The governing distinction is: Conflicting business permissions create opportunities for unauthorized transactions.
D: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 separating vendor creation from payment approval with documented emergency exceptions. The governing distinction is: Conflicting business permissions create opportunities for unauthorized transactions.
Question 669
Before reaching an audit conclusion, consider: A supplier gives the audit team a third-party control report that expired before the review period. Which evidence should the auditor review FIRST to evaluate this risk?
- Compare report scope dates, exclusions, complementary user controls and identified gaps.
- Check event forwarding, immutable storage controls, access logs and clock accuracy.
- Inspect data model, supplier identifiers, credit indicators and reconciliation counts.
- Inspect identity binding, approval logs and whether one person can trigger both approvals.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Compare report scope dates, exclusions, complementary user controls and identified gaps. The governing principle is: Service-provider assurance must cover the actual period and relevant control objectives.
Incorrect Answers
B:Check event forwarding, immutable storage controls, access logs and clock accuracy. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A vendor's audit log is editable by the same administrator whose changes are under investigation. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Compare report scope dates, exclusions, complementary user controls and identified gaps. The governing distinction is: Service-provider assurance must cover the actual period and relevant control objectives.
C:Inspect data model, supplier identifiers, credit indicators and reconciliation counts. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: An auditor flags duplicated supplier invoices by invoice number alone and ignores vendor identifiers and credit notes. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Compare report scope dates, exclusions, complementary user controls and identified gaps. The governing distinction is: Service-provider assurance must cover the actual period and relevant control objectives.
D:Inspect identity binding, approval logs and whether one person can trigger both approvals. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A new security control requires two operators to approve destructive data deletion, but both approvals can use one shared account. In the present case, the most directly relevant audit step is: Compare report scope dates, exclusions, complementary user controls and identified gaps. The governing distinction is: Service-provider assurance must cover the actual period and relevant control objectives.
Question 670
Management reports that this issue has been corrected: A company implements a network intrusion detector but does not assign anyone to triage severe alerts. Which result would provide the STRONGEST assurance that the issue is corrected?
- Sample departures lose relevant access within policy limits and retain auditable evidence.
- Simulated high-severity events reach qualified responders within defined limits.
- Users cannot obtain sensitive access until required training is recorded.
- Representative allowed and denied flows match the intended restrictive rules.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Simulated high-severity events reach qualified responders within defined limits. It addresses network and end-point security. Underlying audit concern: Detection requires an accountable response workflow to reduce business impact.
Incorrect Answers
A:Sample departures lose relevant access within policy limits and retain auditable evidence. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A departed finance employee's account remains enabled in a payroll application after HR termination. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Simulated high-severity events reach qualified responders within defined limits. The governing distinction is: Detection requires an accountable response workflow to reduce business impact.
C:Users cannot obtain sensitive access until required training is recorded. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: Contractor onboarding omits data-handling training although contractors access classified research files. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Simulated high-severity events reach qualified responders within defined limits. The governing distinction is: Detection requires an accountable response workflow to reduce business impact.
D:Representative allowed and denied flows match the intended restrictive rules. This would be relevant to a different issue such as: A firewall has a broad any-to-any allow rule placed ahead of new restrictions for a regulated application. In the present case, the most directly relevant verification is: Simulated high-severity events reach qualified responders within defined limits. The governing distinction is: Detection requires an accountable response workflow to reduce business impact.