CISA Exam Dumps - Isaca Certification Questions and Answers

Reviewing the performance against service level agreements (SLAs) would best determine whether the service provider continues to meet the organization’s objectives, as SLAs define the expected level of service, quality, availability, and responsibilities of both parties. Assessment of the personnel training processes of the provider, adequacy of the service provider’s insurance, and periodic audits of controls by an independent auditor are important aspects of outsourcing, but they do not directly measure the performance of the service provider against the organization’s objectives. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3, Section 3.5.2

 The auditor’s best action when IT management provides suitable evidence for a control that had been concluded as ineffective is to re-perform the audit before changing the conclusion. This means that the auditor should verify the validity, completeness, and timeliness of the evidence provided by IT management and test the effectiveness of the new control in meeting the audit objectives. The auditor should not change the conclusion based on evidence provided by IT management without re-performing the audit, as this could compromise the auditor’s independence and objectivity. The auditor should also not explain to IT management that the new control will be evaluated during follow-up or add comments about the action taken by IT management in the report, as these actions do not address the original audit finding. References: CISA Review Manual, 27thEdition, page 439

 The most important consideration for a go-live decision when implementing an upgraded enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is the business case. The business case is the document that defines and justifies the need, value, feasibility, and risks of the project. It also outlines the expected costs, benefits, outcomes, and impacts of the project. The business case provides the basis for measuring and evaluating the success of the project. Therefore, before deciding to go live with an upgraded ERP system, it is essential to review and validate the business case to ensure that it is still relevant, accurate, realistic, and achievable.

A rollback strategy, test cases, and post-implementation review objectives are not the most important considerations for a go-live decision when implementing an upgraded ERP system. These are important elements of project planning, execution, and evaluation, but they are not sufficient to determine whether the project is worth pursuing or delivering. These elements should be aligned with and derived from the business case.

 Information security policies are high-level statements that define the organization’s approach to protecting its information assets from threats and risks. They should be based primarily on a risk management process, which is a systematic method of identifying, analyzing, evaluating, treating, and monitoring information security risks. A risk management process can help ensure that the policies arealigned with the organization’s risk appetite, business objectives, legal and regulatory requirements, and stakeholder expectations. An information security framework is a set of standards, guidelines, and best practices that provide a structure for implementing information security policies. It can support the risk management process, but it is not the primary basis for defining the policies. Past information security incidents and industry best practices can also provide valuable inputs for defining the policies, but they are not sufficient to address the organization’s specific context and needs. References: Insights and Expertise, CISA Review Manual (Digital Version)

The best indicator of whether a PIR performed by the PMO was effective is whether project outcomes have been realized. Project outcomes are the benefits or value that a project delivers to its stakeholders, such as improved efficiency, quality, customer satisfaction, or revenue. A PIR should evaluate whether project outcomes have been achieved in accordance with project objectives, scope, budget, and schedule. The other options are not as good as project outcomes in determining the effectiveness of a PIR. Lessons learned are valuable inputs for improving future projects, but they do not measure whether project outcomes have been realized. Management approval of the PIR report is a sign of acceptance and support for the PIR findings and recommendations, but it does not reflect whether project outcomes have been achieved. The review performed by an external provider is a way of ensuring objectivity and independence for the PIR, but it does not guarantee whether project outcomes have been realized. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3, Section 3.3

Reconciliation of total amounts by project is the best control to ensure that data is accurately entered into the job-costing system from spreadsheets. Reconciliation is a process of comparing two sets of data to identify any differences or discrepancies between them. By reconciling the total amounts by project from spreadsheets with those from the job-costing system, any errors or omissions in data entry can be detected and corrected. Validity checks are controls that verify that data conforms to predefined formats or ranges. They can prevent entry of character data into numeric fields, but they cannot ensure that the numeric data is correct or complete. Reasonableness checks are controls that verify that data is within expected or acceptable limits. They can detect outliers or anomalies in data, but they cannot ensure that the data matches the source. Display back of project detail after entry is a control that allows the user to review and confirm the data entered into the system. It can help reduce human errors, but it cannot guarantee that the data is accurate or consistent with the source. References: Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience, CISA Review Manual (Digital Version)

 A post-implementation review is a process of evaluating the outcome and benefits of a project or a system after it has been implemented. The main purpose of a post-implementation review is to determine to what extent the business requirements are being met by the new system. Therefore, the most likely aspect to be assessed is the results of line processing, which refers to the actual performance and functionality of the system in the operational environment.

 The IS auditor’s first action after discovering an option in a database that allows the administrator to directly modify any table should be to determine whether the audit trail is secured and reviewed. This is because direct modification of database tables can pose a significant risk to data integrity, security, and accountability. An audit trail is a record of all changes made to database tables, including who made them, when they were made, and what was changed. An audit trail can help to detect unauthorized or erroneous changes, provide evidence for investigations or audits, and support data recovery or restoration. The IS auditor should assess whether the audit trail is protected from tampering or deletion, and whether it is regularly reviewed for anomalies or exceptions.

 Data integrity is the property that ensures that data is accurate, complete, consistent, and reliable throughout its lifecycle. The best data integrity check is tracing data back to the point of origin, which is the source where the data was originally created or captured. This check can verify that data has not been altered or corrupted during transmission, processing, or storage. It can also identify any errors or discrepancies in data entry or conversion. Counting the transactions processed per day is a performance measure that does not directly assess data integrity. Performing a sequence check is a validity check that ensures that data follows a predefined order or pattern. It can detect missing or out-of-order data elements, but it cannot verify their accuracy or completeness. Preparing and running test data is a testing technique that simulates real data to evaluate how a system handles different scenarios. It can help identify errors or bugs in the system logic or functionality, but it cannot ensure data integrity in production environments. References: Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience, CISA Review Manual (Digital Version)

The most important thing for the auditor to confirm when sourcing the population data for testing accounts payable controls by performing data analytics is that the data is taken directly from the system. Taking the data directly from the system can help ensure that the data is authentic, complete, and accurate, and that it has not been manipulated or modified by any intermediary sources or processes. The other options are not as important as taking the data directly from the system, as they do not affect the validity or reliability of the data. There is no privacy information in the data is a privacy concern that can help protect the confidentiality and integrity of personal or sensitive data, but it does not affect the accuracy or completeness of the data. The data can be obtained in a timely manner is a logistical concern that can help facilitate the efficiency and effectiveness of the data analytics process, but it does not affect the authenticity or accuracy of the data. The data analysis tools have been recently updated is a technical concern that can helpenhance the functionality and performance of the data analytics tools, but it does not affect the validity or reliability of the data. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3, Section 3.2

Application level firewalls are the best control to prevent the transfer of files to external parties through instant messaging (IM) applications, because they can inspect and filter network traffic based on application-specific protocols and commands, such as IM file transfer commands. Application levelfirewalls can block or allow IM file transfers based on predefined rules or policies. File level encryption, file transfer protocol (FTP), and instant messaging policy are not effective controls to prevent IM file transfers, because they donot restrict or monitor IM network traffic. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 5, Section 5.4.1

A post-implementation review (PIR) is an assessment conducted at the end of a project cycle to determine if the project was indeed successful and to identify any existing flaws in the project1. One of the main objectives of a PIR isto evaluate the outcome and functional value of a project1. Therefore, anIS auditor should be most concerned with whether the system meets the intended requirements and delivers the expected benefits to the stakeholders. A system that does not have a maintenance plan is a major risk, as it may not be able to cope with changing needs, fix errors, or prevent security breaches. A maintenance planis essential for ensuring the system’s reliability, availability, and performance in the long term2.

The other options are less critical for a PIR, as they are more related to the project management aspects than the system quality aspects. The system may contain several minor defects that do not affect its functionality or usability, and these can be resolved in future updates. The system deployment may be delayed by three weeks due to unforeseen circumstances or dependencies, but this does not necessarily mean that the system is faulty or ineffective. The system may be over budget by 15% due to various factors such as scope creep, resource constraints, or market fluctuations, but this does not imply that the system is not valuable or beneficial.

References: 1: Post-Implementation Review Best Practices - MetaPM 2: What is Post-Implementation Review in Project Management?

 Data analytics can be used to compare data from different sources and identify any discrepancies or anomalies. In this case, comparing a population of loans input in the origination system to loans booked on the servicing system can help detect any errors or frauds in the loan origination process. The other options are not examples of data analytics, but rather controls for data integrity, reconciliation, and error handling. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3, Section 3.3.2

 An employee is induced to reveal confidential IP addresses and passwords by answering questions over the phone. This is a social engineering attack method that exploits the trust or curiosity of the employee to obtain sensitive information that can be used to access or compromise the network. According to the web search results, social engineering is a technique that uses psychological manipulationto trick users into making security mistakes or giving away sensitive information1. Phishing, whaling, baiting, and pretexting are some of the common forms of social engineering attacks2. Social engineering attacks are often more effective and profitable than purely technical attacks, as they rely on human error rather than system vulnerabilities

The best method to prevent wire transfer fraud by bank employees is system-enforced dual control. System-enforced dual control is a segregation of duties control that requires two or more individuals to perform or authorize a transaction or activity using a system that enforces this requirement. System-enforced dual control can prevent wire transfer fraud by requiring independent verification and approval of payment requests, amounts, and recipients by different bank employees using a system that does not allow any single employee to complete the transaction alone. The other options are not as effective as system-enforced dual control in preventing wire transfer fraud, as they do not involve independent checks or approvals using a system. Independent reconciliation is a detective control that can help compare and confirm payment records with bank statements, but it does not prevent wire transfer fraud from occurring. Re-keying of wire dollar amounts is an input control that can help detect any errors or discrepancies in payment amounts, but it does not prevent wire transfer fraud from occurring. Two-factor authentication control is an access control that can help verify the identity and authorization of bank employees, but it does not prevent wire transfer fraud from occurring. References: CISA Review Manual (DigitalVersion), Chapter 3, Section 3.2

The primary factor to determine system criticality within an organization is the maximum allowable downtime (MAD). MAD is the maximum time frame during which recovery must become effective before an outage compromises the ability of an organization to achieve its business objectives and/or survival. MAD reflects the business impact of a system outage onthe organization’s operations, reputation, compliance, and finances. MAD can help to prioritize system recovery efforts, allocate resources, and establish recovery objectives.

The most useful tool for determining whether the goals of IT are aligned with the organization’s goals is a balanced scorecard. A balanced scorecard is a strategic managementsystem that translates an organization’s vision and mission into a set of objectives and measures across four perspectives: financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth. A balanced scorecard helps align IT goals with organizational goals by linking them to a common strategy map that shows how IT contributes to value creation and performance improvement in each perspective. A balanced scorecard also helps monitor and evaluate IT performance against predefined targets and indicators.

Enterprise dashboard, enterprise architecture (EA), and key performance indicators (KPIs) are not the most useful tools for determining whether the goals of IT are aligned with the organization’s goals. These tools may help communicate, design, or measure IT goals or activities, but they do not provide a comprehensive framework for aligning IT goals with organizational goals across multiple dimensions.

The most effective method to verify that a service vendor keeps control levels as required by the client is to conduct periodic on-site assessments using agreed-upon criteria. On-site assessments can providedirect evidence of whether the vendor’s controls are operating effectively and consistently in accordance with the client’s expectations and requirements. Agreed-upon criteria can ensure that the assessments are objective, relevant, and reliable. The other options are not as effective as on-site assessments in verifying the vendor’s control levels. Periodically reviewing the SLA with the vendor can help monitor whether the vendor meets its contractual obligations and service standards, but it does not provide assurance of whether the vendor’s controls are adequate or sufficient. Conducting an unannounced vulnerability assessment of vendor’s IT systems can help identify any weaknesses or gaps in the vendor’s security controls, but it may violate the terms and conditions of the vendor-client relationship or cause operational disruptions. Obtaining evidence of the vendor’s CSA can provide some indication of whether the vendor’s controls are self-monitored and reported, but it does not verify whether the vendor’s controls are independent or accurate. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 5, Section 5.4

 The strategy that would provide the greatest assurance of system quality at implementation is delivering only the core functionality on the initial target date. This strategy can help avoid compromising the quality of the system by focusing on the essential features that meet the user needs and expectations. Delivering only the core functionality can also help reduce the scope creep, complexity, and testing efforts of the system development project.

Implementing overtime pay and bonuses for all development staff, utilizing new system development tools to improve productivity, and recruiting IS staff to expedite system development are not strategiesthat would provide the greatest assurance of system quality at implementation. These strategies may help speed up the system development process, but they may also introduce new risks or challenges such as burnout, learning curve, integration issues, or communication gaps. These risks or challenges may adversely affect the quality of the system.

Requirements analysis should be the best thing to compare against the business case when determining whether a project in the design phase will meet organizational objectives, because it defines the functional and non-functional specifications of the project deliverables that should satisfy the business needs and expectations. Requirements analysis can help evaluate whether the project design is aligned with the business case and whether it can achieve the desired outcomes and benefits. Implementation plan, project budget provisions, and project plan are also important aspects of a project in the design phase, but they are not as relevant asrequirements analysisfor comparing against the business case. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 4, Section 4.2.1

The most effective control to mitigate unintentional misuse of authorized access is security awareness training. This is because security awareness training can educate users on the proper use of their access rights, the potential consequences of misuse, and the best practices to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information systems. Security awareness training can also help users recognize and avoid common threats such as phishing, malware, and social engineering.

Annual sign-off of acceptable use policy, regular monitoring of user access logs, and formalized disciplinary action are not the most effective controls to mitigate unintentional misuse of authorized access. These controls may help deter or detect intentional misuse, but they do not address the rootcause of unintentional misuse, which is often a lack of knowledge or awareness of security policies and procedures.

 Coding standards provide field naming conventions, which are rules for naming variables, constants, functions, classes, and other elements in a program. Coding standards help to ensure consistency, readability, maintainability, and portability of code. Program documentation, access control tables, and data flow diagrams are not part of coding standards. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 4, Section 4.3.1

 The greatest concern for an IS auditor reviewing data conversion and migration during the implementation of a new application system is unauthorized data modifications occurred during conversion. Unauthorized data modifications are changes or alterations to data that are not authorized, intended, or expected, such as due to errors, fraud, or sabotage. Unauthorized data modifications occurred during conversion can compromise the accuracy, completeness, andintegrity of the data being converted and migrated to the new application system, and may result in data loss, corruption, or inconsistency. The other options are not as concerning as unauthorized data modifications occurred during conversion in reviewing data conversion and migration during the implementation of a new application system, as they do not affect the accuracy, completeness, or integrity of the data being converted and migrated. Data conversion was performed using manual processes is a possible factor that may increase the risk or complexity of data conversion and migration, but it does not necessarily imply that unauthorized data modifications occurred during conversion. Backups of the old system and data are not available online is a possible factor that may affect the availability or accessibility of the old system and data for backup or recovery purposes, but it does not imply that unauthorized data modifications occurred during conversion. The change management process was not formally documented is a possible factor that may affect the quality or consistency of the change management process for implementing the new application system, but it does not imply that unauthorized data modifications occurred during conversion. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3, Section 3.3

 The best recommendation to reduce the risk of data leakage from employee use of social networking sites for business purposes is to provide education and guidelines to employees on use of social networking sites. Education and guidelines can help employees understand the benefits and risks of using social media for business purposes, such as enhancing brand awareness, engaging with customers, or sharing industry insights. They can also inform employees about the dos and don’ts of social media etiquette, such as respecting privacy, protecting intellectual property, avoiding conflicts of interest, or complying with legal obligations. Education and guidelines can also raise awareness of potential data leakage scenarios, such as phishing attacks, malicious links, fake profiles, or oversharing sensitive information, and provide tips on how to prevent or respond to them. 

 The project manager should be accountable for managing the risks to project benefits. Project benefits are the expected outcomes or value that a project delivers to its stakeholders, such as improved efficiency, quality, customer satisfaction, or revenue. Project risks are uncertain events or conditions that may affect the project objectives, scope, budget, schedule, or quality. The project manager is responsible for identifying, analyzing, prioritizing, responding to, and monitoring project risks throughout the project life cycle. The other options are not accountable for managing project risks, as they have different roles and responsibilities. The enterprise risk manager is responsible foroverseeing the organization’s overall risk management framework and strategy, but not for managing specific project risks. The project sponsor is responsible for initiating, approving, and supporting the project, but not for managing project risks. The information security officer is responsible for ensuring that the project complies with the organization’s information security policies and standards, but not for managing project risks. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3, Section 3.3

The IS auditor should inform audit management of the earlier involvement in designing the application. This is to ensure that there is no conflict of interest or bias that may affect the objectivity or independence of the audit. Audit management can then decide whether to assign a different auditor or to proceed with the same auditor with appropriate safeguards. The other options are not appropriate for the IS auditor to do in this situation. Refusing the assignment to avoid conflict of interest is an extrememeasure that may not be necessary or feasible, especially if there are no other qualified auditors available. Using the knowledge of the application to carry out the audit is risky, as it may lead to overlooking or ignoring potential issues or errors in the application. Modifying the scope of the audit is not advisable, as it may compromise the quality or completeness of the audit. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 2, Section 2.1

 The IS auditor’s independence would be most likely impaired if they implemented a specific control during the development of an application system. This is because the IS auditor would be auditing their own work, which creates a self-review threat that could compromise their objectivity and impartiality. The IS auditor should avoid participating in any operational or management activities that could affect their ability to perform an unbiased audit. The other options do not pose a significant threat to the IS auditor’s independence, as long as they follow the ethical standards and guidelines of the profession.

 The primary reason for an IS auditor to conduct post-implementation reviews is to determine whether project objectives in the business case have been achieved. A post-implementation review is an audit activity that evaluates whether a project has delivered its expected outcomes or benefits in accordance with its objectives, scope, budget, and schedule. A business case is a document that defines and justifies the need, value, and feasibility of a project. A post-implementation review can help assess whether project objectives in the business case have been achieved by comparing actual results with planned expectations and identifying any gaps or deviations. The other options are not primary reasons for conducting post-implementation reviews, as they do not measure whether project objectives in the business case have been achieved. Ensuring key stakeholder sign-off has been obtained is a project closure activity that confirms that all project deliverables have been completed and accepted by key stakeholders, but it does not evaluate whether project objectives in the business case have been achieved. Aligning project objectives with business needs is a project initiation activity that ensures that the project is aligned with the organization’s strategy, goals, and priorities, but it does not evaluate whether project objectives in the business case have been achieved. Documenting lessons learned to improve future project delivery is a project learning activity that captures and shares the knowledge, experience, and feedback gained from the project, but it does not evaluate whether project objectives inthe business case have been achieved. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3, Section 3.3

 Substantive testing provides the most reliable audit evidence on the validity of transactions in a financial application. Substantive testing is an audit procedure that examines the financial statements and supporting documentation to see if they contain errors or misstatements. Substantive testing can help to verify that the transactions recorded in the financial applicationare authorized, complete, accurate, and properly classified. Substantive testing can include methods such as vouching, confirmation, analytical procedures, or physical examination. 

 Secure coding practices are the best way to prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, because they can ensure that the web application validates and sanitizes user input and output data to prevent malicious scripts from being executed on the web browser. XSS attacks are a type of web application vulnerability that exploit the lack of input validation or output encoding in webpages that accept user input or display dynamic content. Application firewall policy settings, a three-tier web architecture, and use of common industry frameworks are not effective controlsto prevent XSS attacks, because they do not address the root cause of the vulnerability in the web application code. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 5, Section 5.4.2

Parallel processing is a system implementation approach that involves running the new system and the old system simultaneously for a period of time until the new system is verified and accepted. The primary advantage of parallel processing is that it provides assurance that the new system meets performance requirements and produces the same or better results as the old system. Parallel processing also minimizes the risk of system failure and data loss, as the old system can be used as a backup or fallback option in case of any problems with the new system.

 A business continuity plan (BCP) is a system of prevention and recovery from potential threats to a company. The plan ensures that personnel and assets are protected and are able to function quickly in the event of a disaster1. A core part of a BCP is the documentation of workaround processes to keep a business function operational during recovery of IT systems. Workaround processes are alternative methods or procedures that can be used to perform a business function when the normal IT systems are unavailable or disrupted2. For example, if an online payment system is down, a workaround process could be to accept manual payments or use a backup system. Workaround processes help to minimize the impact of IT disruptions on the business operations and ensure continuity of service to customers and stakeholders3.

References:

1 explains what is a business continuity plan and why it is important.

2 defines what is a workaround process and how it can be used in a BCP.

3 provides examples of workaround processes for different business functions.

 The most important consideration for an IS auditor when scheduling follow-up activities for agreed-upon management responses to remediate audit observations is the risk rating of original findings. The risk rating of original findings is an assessment of the potential impact or likelihood of an audit issue or observation on the organization’s objectives, operations, or reputation. The risk rating of original findings can help determine the priority and urgency of follow-up activities for agreed-upon management responses to remediate audit observations by ensuring that high-risk issues are addressed first and more frequently than low-risk issues. The other options are not as important as the risk rating of original findings in scheduling follow-up activities for agreed-upon management responses to remediate audit observations, as they do not reflect the significance or severity of audit issues orobservations. Business interruption due to remediation is a possible consequence of implementing corrective actions to address audit issues or observations, but it does not indicate the priority or urgency of follow-up activities. IT budgeting constraints is a possible factor that may affect the availability or feasibility of resources for implementing corrective actions to address audit issues or observations, but it does not indicate the priority or urgency of follow-up activities. Availability of responsible IT personnel is a possible factor that may affect the accountability or responsiveness of staff for implementing corrective actions to address audit issues or observations, but it does not indicate the priority or urgency of follow-up activities. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 2, Section 2.4

The expected costs for recovering the business would be used when performing a business impact analysis (BIA). A BIA is a process of identifying and evaluating the potential effects ofdisruptions to critical business functions or processes. A BIA helps to determine the recovery priorities, strategies, and resources needed to resume normal operations after a disruption. One of the key outputs of a BIA is an estimate of the financial losses or costs associated with different types of disruptions, such as lost revenue, increased expenses, contractual penalties, or regulatory fines.

The most effective way to detect an intrusion attempt is to periodically review log files, which record the activities and events on a system or network. Log files can provide evidence of unauthorized access attempts, malicious activities, or system errors. Configuring the router as a firewall, using smart cards with one-time passwords, and installing biometrics-basedauthentication are preventive controls that can reduce the likelihood of an intrusion, but they do not detect it. References: ISACA CISA Review Manual 27th Edition, page 301

The greatest risk associated with an incomplete inventory of deployed software in an organization is the inability to deploy updated security patches. Security patches are updates that fix vulnerabilities or bugs in software that could be exploited by attackers. Without an accurate inventory of software versions and configurations, it is difficult to identify and apply the relevant patches in a timely manner, which exposes the organization to increased security risks. Inability to close unused ports on critical servers, inability to identify unused licenses within the organization, and inability to determine the cost of deployed software are not as critical as security risks. References: ISACA CISA Review Manual 27th Edition, page 308

The IS auditor’s best course of action in this situation is to present observations for discussion only. Observations are factual statements or findings that are based on the audit evidence collected and analyzed during the audit. Observations can be presented to management for discussion and feedback, but they should not be considered as final conclusions or recommendations until the audit is completed and the audit report is issued. The other options are not appropriate for presenting the findings to date, as they may compromise the audit quality or integrity. Reviewing working papers with the auditee is not advisable, as working papers are confidential documents that contain the auditor’s notes, calculations, and opinions that may not be relevant or accurate for management’s review. Requesting the auditee provide management responses is premature, as management responses should be obtained after the audit report is issued and the audit findings andrecommendations are finalized. Requesting management wait until a final report is ready for discussion is impractical, as management may have a legitimate interest or need to know the audit progress and results as soon as possible. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 2, Section 2.3

Referential integrity is a property of data that ensures that all references between tables are valid and consistent. Disabling referential integrity controls can result in orphaned records, data anomalies, and inaccurate queries. The most effective way to compensate for the lack of referential integrity is to perform periodic table link checks, which verify that all foreign keys match existing primary keys in the related tables. More frequent data backups, concurrent access controls, and performance monitoring tools do not address the issue of data consistency and accuracy. References: ISACACISA Review Manual 27th Edition, page 291

The primary area of focus when an organization decides to outsource technical support for its external customers is to align service level agreements (SLAs) with current needs. SLAs are contracts that define the scope, quality, and expectations of the services provided by the vendor, as well as the remedies or penalties for non-compliance. SLAs are essential for ensuring that the outsourced technical support meets the customer’s requirements and satisfaction, as well as the organization’s objectives andstandards. By aligning SLAs with current needs, the organization can specify the key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, and targets that reflect the desired outcomes and value of the technical support. This can also help to monitor and evaluate the vendor’s performance, identify gaps or issues, and implement corrective actions or improvements.

References:

Service Level Agreement (SLA)Examples and Template

What is an SLA? Best practices for service-level agreements

Network topology diagrams are the most important for an IS auditor to review when evaluating the design of controls related to network monitoring, because they show how the network components are connected and configured, and what security measures are in place to protect the network from unauthorized access or attacks. Incident monitoring logs, the ISP service level agreement, and reports of network traffic analysis are useful for evaluating the effectiveness and performance of network monitoring, but not the design of controls. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 5, Section 5.3.3

 The most important task before implementing any associated email controls to prevent sensitive information from being emailed outside the organization by employees is to develop an information classification scheme. An information classification scheme is a framework that defines the categories and levels of sensitivity for different types of information, such as public, internal, confidential, or secret. An information classification scheme can help implement email controls by providing criteria and guidelines for identifying, labeling, handling, and protecting sensitive information in email attachments. The other options are not as important as developing an information classification scheme, as they do not address the root cause of the problem or provide the same benefits. Requiring all employees to sign nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) is a legal control that can help deter or penalize employees from disclosing sensitive information, but it does not prevent them from emailing it outside the organization. Developing an acceptable use policy for end-user computing (EUC) is a governance control that can help define and communicate the rules and expectations for using IT resources, such as email, but it does not prevent employees from emailing sensitive information outside the organization. Providing notification to employees about possible email monitoring is a transparency control that can help inform and warn employees about the potential consequences of emailing sensitive information outside the organization, but it does not prevent them from doing so. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 5, Section 5.3.2

 Changing the default configurations of a database system is a critical control for securing it from unauthorized access or exploitation. Default configurations often include weak passwords, unnecessary services, open ports, or known vulnerabilities that can be easily exploited by attackers. The other options are not as important as changing the default configurations, as they do not address the root cause of the security risks. Normalizing tables in the database is a design technique for improving data quality and performance, but it does not affect security. Changing the service port used by the database server is a form of security by obscurity, which can be easily bypassed by port scanning tools. Using the default administration account after changing the account password is still risky, as the account name may be known or guessed by attackers. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 5, Section 5.2.4

The most effective way to maintain network integrity when using mobile devices is to implement network access control. Network access control is a security control that regulates and restricts access to network resources based on predefined policies and criteria, such as device type, identity, location, or security posture. Network access control can help maintain network integrity when using mobile devices by preventing unauthorized or compromised devices from accessing or affecting networksystems or data. The other options are not as effective as network access control in maintaining network integrity when using mobile devices, as they do not address all aspects of network access or security. Implementing outbound firewall rules is a security control that filters and blocks network traffic based on source, destination, protocol, or port, but it does not regulate or restrict network access based on device characteristics or conditions. Performing network reviews is a monitoring activity that evaluates and reports on the performance, availability, or security of network resources, but it does not regulate or restrict network access based on device characteristics or conditions. Reviewing access control lists is a verification activity that validates and confirms the access rights and privileges of network users or devices, but it does not regulate or restrict network access based on device characteristics or conditions. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 5, Section 5.2.2

The best recommendation to prevent fraudulent electronic funds transfers by accounts payable employees is dual control. Dual control is a segregation of duties control that requires two or more individuals to perform or authorize a transaction or activity. Dual control can prevent fraudulent electronic funds transfers by requiring independent verification and approval of payment requests, amounts, and recipients by different accounts payable employees. The other options are not as effective as dual control in preventing fraudulent electronic funds transfers, as they do not involve independent checks or approvals. Periodic vendor reviews are detective controls that can help identify any irregularities or anomalies in vendor payments, but they do not prevent fraudulent electronic funds transfers from occurring. Independent reconciliation is a detective control that can help compare and confirm payment records with bank statements, but it does not prevent fraudulent electronic funds transfers from occurring. Re-keying of monetary amounts is an input control that can help detect any errors or discrepancies in payment amounts, but it does not prevent fraudulentelectronic funds transfers from occurring. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3, Section 3.2

 The decision to accept an IT control risk related to data quality should be the responsibility of the business owner. The business owner is the person who has the authority and accountability for the business process that relies on the data quality. The business owner should understand the impact of data quality issues on the business objectives, performance, and compliance. The business ownershould also be involved in defining the data quality requirements, assessing the data quality risks, and implementing the data quality controls or mitigation strategies.

 A black box penetration test is a type of security assessment that simulates an attack on a system or network without any prior knowledge of its configuration or architecture. The main objective of this test is to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses that can be exploited by external or internal threat actors. To plan a black box penetration test, it is most important to ensure that the environment and penetration test scope have been determined. This means that the tester and the client organization have agreed on the boundaries, objectives, methods, and deliverables of the test, as well as the legal and ethical aspects of the engagement. Without a clear definition of the environment and scope, the testmay not be effective, efficient, or compliant with relevant standards and regulations. Additionally, the tester may cause unintended damage or disruption to the client’s systems or networks, or violate their privacy or security policies.

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What are black box, grey box, and white box penetration testing?

What Is Black-Box Penetration Testing and Why ShouldYou Choose It?

 The first thing that should be done when an intrusion into an organization network is detected is to identify nodes that have been compromised. Identifying nodes that have been compromised is a critical step in responding to an intrusion, as it helps determine the scope, impact, and source of the attack, and enables the implementation of appropriate containment and recovery measures. The other options are not the first things that should be done when an intrusion into an organization network is detected, as they may be premature or ineffective without identifying nodes that have been compromised. Blocking all compromised network nodes is a containment measure that can help isolate and prevent the spread of the attack, but it may not be possible or feasible without identifying nodes that have been compromised. Contacting law enforcement is a reporting measure that can help seek external assistance and comply with legal obligations, but it may not be necessary or appropriate without identifying nodes that have been compromised. Notifying senior management is a communication measure that can helpinform and escalate the incident, but it may not be urgent or accurate without identifying nodes that have been compromised. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 4, Section 4.2.2

The IS auditor’s most important course of action after finding that several similar incidents were logged during the audit period is to determine if a root cause analysis was conducted. A root cause analysis is a systematic process that identifies the underlying causes of system failures or incidents. A root cause analysis can help to prevent recurrence of similar incidents, improve system performance and reliability, and enhance incident management processes. The IS auditor should evaluate whether a root cause analysis was performed for each incident, whether it was timely and thorough, and whether it resulted in effective corrective actions.