ISC CISSP Practice Test 22
Question 210
An organization is replacing payroll software but regulations require seven years of historical pay records. A designer proposes: Permanently delete all historical records as soon as the replacement goes live. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- Retirement needs cross-system closure instead of merely powering down workloads.
- Premature deletion may breach retention obligations and impair dispute resolution.
- Dormant credentials create unnecessary exploitable access paths.
- Retention expiry changes the obligation from preservation to defensible disposal.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Premature deletion may breach retention obligations and impair dispute resolution. This is the direct weakness in the proposed action.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is an advantage of another design (Use a formal retirement checklist covering identity removal, archives, licenses and data disposition.), not the particular flaw of Permanently delete all historical records as soon as the replacement goes live.
C:This is a limitation elsewhere: A team removes obsolete virtual machines but loses the records documenting license ownership and privileged accounts. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
D:This explains a later shift in requirements (The seven-year period ends without legal holds.), not the failure of the current proposal.
Question 211
An organization is replacing payroll software but regulations require seven years of historical pay records. The organization has now implemented this response: Archive required records in a protected readable format with retention and authorized access rules. Which observation would MOST directly demonstrate that the security objective was met?
- An approved change ticket for Archive required records in a protected readable format with retention and authorized access rules. without a completed verification result.
- A test query retrieves an authorized archived record with verified integrity and access logs.
- Network testing demonstrates isolation and a funded approved replacement milestone.
- An asset-to-account reconciliation finds no orphaned keys, stale DNS or retained unauthorized snapshots.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:A test query retrieves an authorized archived record with verified integrity and access logs. This validates that system retirement must not destroy legally required information or leave it inaccessible.
Incorrect Answers
A:An approved change without an executed test cannot prove operating effectiveness. The needed evidence is A test query retrieves an authorized archived record with verified integrity and access logs.
C:This demonstrates controls in another circumstance: A medical device uses an operating system that has reached end of support but is still needed for a critical procedure.
D:This other observation is relevant to: A team removes obsolete virtual machines but loses the records documenting license ownership and privileged accounts.
Question 212
A previous security situation was: An organization is replacing payroll software but regulations require seven years of historical pay records. Now the requirement changes: The seven-year period ends without legal holds. Which NEW action BEST answers the changed need?
- A test query retrieves an authorized archived record with verified integrity and access logs.
- Apply approved final disposition and log verified deletion.
- Archive required records in a protected readable format with retention and authorized access rules.
- Permanently delete all historical records as soon as the replacement goes live.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Retention expiry changes the obligation from preservation to defensible disposal. The revised action is Apply approved final disposition and log verified deletion.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is a record of how the initial safeguard would be checked, not an action implementing the newly requested condition: A test query retrieves an authorized archived record with verified integrity and access logs.
C:This is the appropriate response to the original situation: System retirement must not destroy legally required information or leave it inaccessible. It does not directly meet the new condition.
D:This remains inappropriate: Premature deletion may breach retention obligations and impair dispute resolution.
Question 213
A team removes obsolete virtual machines but loses the records documenting license ownership and privileged accounts. What should the security manager recommend as the MOST appropriate response to the current requirement?
- Use a formal retirement checklist covering identity removal, archives, licenses and data disposition.
- Leave service account keys active in case the retired server is needed again.
- Provide retained approval, inventory and sanitization evidence without restoring the system.
- Archive required records in a protected readable format with retention and authorized access rules.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Retirement needs cross-system closure instead of merely powering down workloads. This directly addresses the stated situation.
Incorrect Answers
B:Dormant credentials create unnecessary exploitable access paths. The proposal would not be defensible for this case.
C:This is appropriate for a later condition (An auditor requests evidence of the former system's approved disposition.), but it does not directly resolve the initial need. Demonstrable audit history remains necessary after the asset itself is retired.
D:This response addresses a different condition: An organization is replacing payroll software but regulations require seven years of historical pay records. The present case requires the measure described by Use a formal retirement checklist covering identity removal, archives, licenses and data disposition.
Question 214
A team removes obsolete virtual machines but loses the records documenting license ownership and privileged accounts. A designer proposes: Leave service account keys active in case the retired server is needed again. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- Dormant credentials create unnecessary exploitable access paths.
- Functional operation does not eliminate unpatched exploitable attack paths.
- Demonstrable audit history remains necessary after the asset itself is retired.
- Unsupported software cannot rely on normal vendor security patches and needs explicit risk treatment.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Dormant credentials create unnecessary exploitable access paths. This is the direct weakness in the proposed action.
Incorrect Answers
B:This is a limitation elsewhere: A medical device uses an operating system that has reached end of support but is still needed for a critical procedure. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
C:This explains a later shift in requirements (An auditor requests evidence of the former system's approved disposition.), not the failure of the current proposal.
D:This is an advantage of another design (Assess exposure and implement isolation, compensating controls and a time-bound replacement plan.), not the particular flaw of Leave service account keys active in case the retired server is needed again.
Question 215
Remote workers upload classified files to personal cloud storage from managed laptops despite encryption of local disks. Which recommendation should the security leader make FIRST to address the stated objective?
- Assume endpoint full-disk encryption prevents every outbound cloud upload.
- A controlled exfiltration test is blocked and logged for the relevant classification and user context.
- Enable strong full-disk encryption with managed recovery keys and measured endpoint compliance.
- Apply classification-aware egress DLP or broker controls to unauthorized transfer paths.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Disk encryption protects stored bytes, not voluntary or accidental release to unapproved cloud services. The scenario is: Remote workers upload classified files to personal cloud storage from managed laptops despite encryption of local disks.
Incorrect Answers
A:At-rest encryption does not enforce permitted data movement or approved destinations. The rejected action is: Assume endpoint full-disk encryption prevents every outbound cloud upload.
B:This is useful evidence after implementation, rather than the FIRST recommended decision for this objective. A controlled exfiltration test is blocked and logged for the relevant classification and user context.
C:This addresses a distinct subsequent requirement: A different risk review finds that stolen powered-off laptops expose unencrypted local caches. The new loss scenario concerns data at rest on devices, not cloud egress behavior.
Question 216
Remote workers upload classified files to personal cloud storage from managed laptops despite encryption of local disks. A colleague instead proposes: "Assume endpoint full-disk encryption prevents every outbound cloud upload." Which finding BEST explains why the proposal should be rejected?
- Its only deficiency is a missing executive signature, even if the design still fails the stated requirement.
- It is inadequate only because of a different later condition: A different risk review finds that stolen powered-off laptops expose unencrypted local caches.
- No evidence or governance records should be retained when evaluating this 2.6 decision.
- At-rest encryption does not enforce permitted data movement or approved destinations.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:At-rest encryption does not enforce permitted data movement or approved destinations. This directly invalidates the proposed action: Assume endpoint full-disk encryption prevents every outbound cloud upload.
Incorrect Answers
A:Approval alone cannot fix the specific weakness: At-rest encryption does not enforce permitted data movement or approved destinations.
B:The subsequent circumstance is separate and does not explain why this proposed action fails the initial case. The new loss scenario concerns data at rest on devices, not cloud egress behavior.
C:Destroying records would weaken oversight and cannot remedy the immediate technical or governance flaw: At-rest encryption does not enforce permitted data movement or approved destinations.
Question 217
Remote workers upload classified files to personal cloud storage from managed laptops despite encryption of local disks. After implementing "Apply classification-aware egress DLP or broker controls to unauthorized transfer paths.", what evidence BEST demonstrates that the intended security outcome is functioning?
- A note proposing to test this exact 2.6 measure in a future quarter.
- A declaration that no incident has been reported, without exercising the relevant control.
- A meeting record that the alternate design "Enable strong full-disk encryption with managed recovery keys and measured endpoint compliance." was discussed but never tested.
- A controlled exfiltration test is blocked and logged for the relevant classification and user context.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:A controlled exfiltration test is blocked and logged for the relevant classification and user context. This verifies the original requirement because disk encryption protects stored bytes, not voluntary or accidental release to unapproved cloud services.
Incorrect Answers
A:An unexecuted future plan does not prove current effectiveness for the stated 2.6 objective. The evidence should include: A controlled exfiltration test is blocked and logged for the relevant classification and user context.
B:Absence of reported incidents is not a controlled validation of the requirement. A stronger proof is: A controlled exfiltration test is blocked and logged for the relevant classification and user context.
C:Discussion of a different design does not demonstrate the deployed control. The new loss scenario concerns data at rest on devices, not cloud egress behavior.
Question 218
The organization previously faced this problem: Remote workers upload classified files to personal cloud storage from managed laptops despite encryption of local disks. Its requirement then changes: A different risk review finds that stolen powered-off laptops expose unencrypted local caches. Which revised action BEST meets the new requirement?
- Apply classification-aware egress DLP or broker controls to unauthorized transfer paths.
- Assume endpoint full-disk encryption prevents every outbound cloud upload.
- Keep the original 2.6 policy unchanged, and defer the newly identified requirement without a risk decision.
- Enable strong full-disk encryption with managed recovery keys and measured endpoint compliance.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:The new loss scenario concerns data at rest on devices, not cloud egress behavior. The appropriate revised action is: Enable strong full-disk encryption with managed recovery keys and measured endpoint compliance.
Incorrect Answers
A:This addresses the original situation: Disk encryption protects stored bytes, not voluntary or accidental release to unapproved cloud services. It does not directly meet the changed requirement: A different risk review finds that stolen powered-off laptops expose unencrypted local caches.
B:The earlier rejected approach remains inappropriate. At-rest encryption does not enforce permitted data movement or approved destinations.
C:The new requirement needs an accountable response, not automatic deferral. The new loss scenario concerns data at rest on devices, not cloud egress behavior.
Question 219
A manufacturing firm encrypts databases at rest but service operators can download entire plaintext exports to unmanaged laptops. What should the security manager recommend as the MOST appropriate response to the current requirement?
- Apply rights management, access expiry and individually attributable watermarking where suitable.
- Enforce least-privilege export rights, monitored egress and approved endpoint handling.
- Conclude stored-data encryption alone blocks every data loss path.
- Protect backup media using strong encryption with separate key management.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:At-rest encryption does not prevent authorized users from exporting decrypted content. This directly addresses the stated situation.
Incorrect Answers
A:This response addresses a different condition: A video rights company shares pre-release screeners with distribution partners and needs traceable authorized use. The present case requires the measure described by Enforce least-privilege export rights, monitored egress and approved endpoint handling.
C:The system can release plaintext through application functions after decryption. The proposal would not be defensible for this case.
D:This is appropriate for a later condition (A stolen powered-off backup drive contains sensitive records outside the database.), but it does not directly resolve the initial need. The new risk concerns storage of offline copies rather than live export privileges.
Question 220
A manufacturing firm encrypts databases at rest but service operators can download entire plaintext exports to unmanaged laptops. A designer proposes: Conclude stored-data encryption alone blocks every data loss path. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- Cloud service governance requires visibility into permitted destinations and sensitive transfers.
- The system can release plaintext through application functions after decryption.
- Malware signatures do not evaluate confidentiality labels or permitted SaaS destinations.
- The new risk concerns storage of offline copies rather than live export privileges.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:The system can release plaintext through application functions after decryption. This is the direct weakness in the proposed action.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is an advantage of another design (Use integrated CASB or SSE controls and classification-aware data loss policies across cloud flows.), not the particular flaw of Conclude stored-data encryption alone blocks every data loss path.
C:This is a limitation elsewhere: An enterprise needs to monitor classified documents moving from sanctioned SaaS to unsanctioned services. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
D:This explains a later shift in requirements (A stolen powered-off backup drive contains sensitive records outside the database.), not the failure of the current proposal.