ISC CISSP Practice Test 60
Question 590
A company wants to audit cryptographic key management but has not defined which keys, teams or services are in scope. What should the security manager recommend as the MOST appropriate response to the current requirement?
- Define control objectives, populations, risk-based samples and independent evidence requirements before testing.
- Run random scans against public websites and declare key-management compliance.
- Execute an authorized incident simulation of key compromise and recovery.
- Design tests of recoverability, dependencies and business recovery objectives with acceptable disruption limits.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:A defined assurance strategy makes findings relevant to material key risks. This directly addresses the stated situation.
Incorrect Answers
B:An unrelated scan does not evaluate key creation, custody or revocation. The proposal would not be defensible for this case.
C:This is appropriate for a later condition (Management now asks whether a stolen key can be revoked quickly in practice.), but it does not directly resolve the initial need. Operational response exercise tests a different outcome from initial assurance design.
D:This response addresses a different condition: A board requests proof that a disaster recovery program works, while the operations team submits only policy documents. The present case requires the measure described by Define control objectives, populations, risk-based samples and independent evidence requirements before testing.
Question 591
A company wants to audit cryptographic key management but has not defined which keys, teams or services are in scope. A designer proposes: Run random scans against public websites and declare key-management compliance. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- An unrelated scan does not evaluate key creation, custody or revocation.
- Reachability does not establish testing consent or permitted techniques.
- Operational response exercise tests a different outcome from initial assurance design.
- Testing without explicit boundaries risks unauthorized access and collateral damage.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:An unrelated scan does not evaluate key creation, custody or revocation. This is the direct weakness in the proposed action.
Incorrect Answers
B:This is a limitation elsewhere: A penetration tester requests permission to attack an interconnected cloud tenant that belongs partly to a third party. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
C:This explains a later shift in requirements (Management now asks whether a stolen key can be revoked quickly in practice.), not the failure of the current proposal.
D:This is an advantage of another design (Define legal authorization, in-scope assets, methods, safety limits and communications before testing.), not the particular flaw of Run random scans against public websites and declare key-management compliance.
Question 592
A company wants to audit cryptographic key management but has not defined which keys, teams or services are in scope. The organization has now implemented this response: Define control objectives, populations, risk-based samples and independent evidence requirements before testing. Which observation would MOST directly demonstrate that the security objective was met?
- A signed test plan maps sampled keys, custodians and lifecycle controls to evidence and expected results.
- Reassessment of identical scenarios produces consistent ratings and traceable justifications.
- Signed rules of engagement and scope records match executed tests and findings.
- An approved change ticket for Define control objectives, populations, risk-based samples and independent evidence requirements before testing. without a completed verification result.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:A signed test plan maps sampled keys, custodians and lifecycle controls to evidence and expected results. This validates that a defined assurance strategy makes findings relevant to material key risks.
Incorrect Answers
B:This demonstrates controls in another circumstance: A university security program receives conflicting risk ratings from multiple assessment teams using different criteria.
C:This other observation is relevant to: A penetration tester requests permission to attack an interconnected cloud tenant that belongs partly to a third party.
D:An approved change without an executed test cannot prove operating effectiveness. The needed evidence is A signed test plan maps sampled keys, custodians and lifecycle controls to evidence and expected results.
Question 593
A previous security situation was: A company wants to audit cryptographic key management but has not defined which keys, teams or services are in scope. Now the requirement changes: Management now asks whether a stolen key can be revoked quickly in practice. Which NEW action BEST answers the changed need?
- Execute an authorized incident simulation of key compromise and recovery.
- Define control objectives, populations, risk-based samples and independent evidence requirements before testing.
- Run random scans against public websites and declare key-management compliance.
- A signed test plan maps sampled keys, custodians and lifecycle controls to evidence and expected results.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Operational response exercise tests a different outcome from initial assurance design. The revised action is Execute an authorized incident simulation of key compromise and recovery.
Incorrect Answers
B:This is the appropriate response to the original situation: A defined assurance strategy makes findings relevant to material key risks. It does not directly meet the new condition.
C:This remains inappropriate: An unrelated scan does not evaluate key creation, custody or revocation.
D:This is a record of how the initial safeguard would be checked, not an action implementing the newly requested condition: A signed test plan maps sampled keys, custodians and lifecycle controls to evidence and expected results.
Question 594
A university security program receives conflicting risk ratings from multiple assessment teams using different criteria. What should the security manager recommend as the MOST appropriate response to the current requirement?
- Publish the highest rating from each assessor without examining scope or method.
- Commission objective third-party evaluation with defined scope and expertise.
- Define legal authorization, in-scope assets, methods, safety limits and communications before testing.
- Adopt common assessment methodology and risk rating calibration with independent review.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Comparable tests require agreed impact, likelihood and evidence standards. This directly addresses the stated situation.
Incorrect Answers
A:Uncalibrated findings cannot reliably drive prioritization. The proposal would not be defensible for this case.
B:This is appropriate for a later condition (A newly regulated research facility requires stronger independent assurance.), but it does not directly resolve the initial need. External regulatory assurance raises independence and coverage requirements.
C:This response addresses a different condition: A penetration tester requests permission to attack an interconnected cloud tenant that belongs partly to a third party. The present case requires the measure described by Adopt common assessment methodology and risk rating calibration with independent review.
Question 595
A university security program receives conflicting risk ratings from multiple assessment teams using different criteria. A designer proposes: Publish the highest rating from each assessor without examining scope or method. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- An unrelated scan does not evaluate key creation, custody or revocation.
- External regulatory assurance raises independence and coverage requirements.
- A defined assurance strategy makes findings relevant to material key risks.
- Uncalibrated findings cannot reliably drive prioritization.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Uncalibrated findings cannot reliably drive prioritization. This is the direct weakness in the proposed action.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is a limitation elsewhere: A company wants to audit cryptographic key management but has not defined which keys, teams or services are in scope. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
B:This explains a later shift in requirements (A newly regulated research facility requires stronger independent assurance.), not the failure of the current proposal.
C:This is an advantage of another design (Define control objectives, populations, risk-based samples and independent evidence requirements before testing.), not the particular flaw of Publish the highest rating from each assessor without examining scope or method.
Question 596
A university security program receives conflicting risk ratings from multiple assessment teams using different criteria. The organization has now implemented this response: Adopt common assessment methodology and risk rating calibration with independent review. Which observation would MOST directly demonstrate that the security objective was met?
- Contract and completed report demonstrate covered services, exceptions and corrective action evidence.
- A signed test plan maps sampled keys, custodians and lifecycle controls to evidence and expected results.
- An approved change ticket for Adopt common assessment methodology and risk rating calibration with independent review. without a completed verification result.
- Reassessment of identical scenarios produces consistent ratings and traceable justifications.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Reassessment of identical scenarios produces consistent ratings and traceable justifications. This validates that comparable tests require agreed impact, likelihood and evidence standards.
Incorrect Answers
A:This demonstrates controls in another circumstance: An outsourcing contract promises annual security checks but omits test objectives, audit rights and subcontractor scope.
B:This other observation is relevant to: A company wants to audit cryptographic key management but has not defined which keys, teams or services are in scope.
C:An approved change without an executed test cannot prove operating effectiveness. The needed evidence is Reassessment of identical scenarios produces consistent ratings and traceable justifications.
Question 597
A previous security situation was: A university security program receives conflicting risk ratings from multiple assessment teams using different criteria. Now the requirement changes: A newly regulated research facility requires stronger independent assurance. Which NEW action BEST answers the changed need?
- Adopt common assessment methodology and risk rating calibration with independent review.
- Publish the highest rating from each assessor without examining scope or method.
- Reassessment of identical scenarios produces consistent ratings and traceable justifications.
- Commission objective third-party evaluation with defined scope and expertise.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:External regulatory assurance raises independence and coverage requirements. The revised action is Commission objective third-party evaluation with defined scope and expertise.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is the appropriate response to the original situation: Comparable tests require agreed impact, likelihood and evidence standards. It does not directly meet the new condition.
B:This remains inappropriate: Uncalibrated findings cannot reliably drive prioritization.
C:This is a record of how the initial safeguard would be checked, not an action implementing the newly requested condition: Reassessment of identical scenarios produces consistent ratings and traceable justifications.
Question 598
An outsourcing contract promises annual security checks but omits test objectives, audit rights and subcontractor scope. What should the security manager recommend as the MOST appropriate response to the current requirement?
- Reassess changed processor obligations and third-party testing coverage.
- Define control objectives, populations, risk-based samples and independent evidence requirements before testing.
- Negotiate clear assessment obligations, access to evidence and material exception disclosure.
- Accept a vendor's unverifiable email claiming all risks are addressed.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Third-party assurance needs contractual capability to inspect relevant security controls. This directly addresses the stated situation.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is appropriate for a later condition (The vendor undergoes an acquisition and changes its data processor.), but it does not directly resolve the initial need. Supply-chain change can invalidate previous assurance assumptions.
B:This response addresses a different condition: A company wants to audit cryptographic key management but has not defined which keys, teams or services are in scope. The present case requires the measure described by Negotiate clear assessment obligations, access to evidence and material exception disclosure.
D:Unsupported attestations cannot substitute for scoped and repeatable assurance. The proposal would not be defensible for this case.
Question 599
An outsourcing contract promises annual security checks but omits test objectives, audit rights and subcontractor scope. A designer proposes: Accept a vendor's unverifiable email claiming all risks are addressed. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- Supply-chain change can invalidate previous assurance assumptions.
- Comparable tests require agreed impact, likelihood and evidence standards.
- Unsupported attestations cannot substitute for scoped and repeatable assurance.
- Uncalibrated findings cannot reliably drive prioritization.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Unsupported attestations cannot substitute for scoped and repeatable assurance. This is the direct weakness in the proposed action.
Incorrect Answers
A:This explains a later shift in requirements (The vendor undergoes an acquisition and changes its data processor.), not the failure of the current proposal.
B:This is an advantage of another design (Adopt common assessment methodology and risk rating calibration with independent review.), not the particular flaw of Accept a vendor's unverifiable email claiming all risks are addressed.
D:This is a limitation elsewhere: A university security program receives conflicting risk ratings from multiple assessment teams using different criteria. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
Question 600
An outsourcing contract promises annual security checks but omits test objectives, audit rights and subcontractor scope. The organization has now implemented this response: Negotiate clear assessment obligations, access to evidence and material exception disclosure. Which observation would MOST directly demonstrate that the security objective was met?
- Reassessment of identical scenarios produces consistent ratings and traceable justifications.
- An approved change ticket for Negotiate clear assessment obligations, access to evidence and material exception disclosure. without a completed verification result.
- Contract and completed report demonstrate covered services, exceptions and corrective action evidence.
- Representative recovery tests meet recorded process-owner criteria and document gaps.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Contract and completed report demonstrate covered services, exceptions and corrective action evidence. This validates that third-party assurance needs contractual capability to inspect relevant security controls.
Incorrect Answers
A:This other observation is relevant to: A university security program receives conflicting risk ratings from multiple assessment teams using different criteria.
B:An approved change without an executed test cannot prove operating effectiveness. The needed evidence is Contract and completed report demonstrate covered services, exceptions and corrective action evidence.
D:This demonstrates controls in another circumstance: A board requests proof that a disaster recovery program works, while the operations team submits only policy documents.