Isaca CISA Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

Isaca CISA Online Questions & Answers

• Question 921:

  Which of the following BEST contributes to the quality of an audit of a business-critical application?

  A. Assigning the audit to independent external auditors
  B. Reviewing previous findings reported by the application owner
  C. Identifying common coding errors made by the development team
  D. Involving the application owner early in the audit planning process
  D. Involving the application owner early in the audit planning process

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  Explanation

  Involving the application owner early in the audit planning process is the best way to contribute to the quality of an audit of a business-critical application. The application owner has a deep understanding of the application and its business context, which can provide valuable insights for the audit. Early involvement can also help ensure that the audit is aligned with the business objectives and risks, and that any potential issues are identified and addressed

• Question 922:

  An IS auditor has been tasked with analyzing an organization's capital expenditures against its repair and maintenance costs. Which of the following is the BEST reason to use a data analytics tool for this purpose?

  A. It reduces the error rate.
  B. It improves the reliability of the data.
  C. It enables the auditor to work with 100% of the transactions.
  D. It reduces the sample size required to perform the audit.
  C. It enables the auditor to work with 100% of the transactions.

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  Explanation

• Question 923:

  Which of the following conditions would be of MOST concern to an IS auditor assessing the risk of a successful brute force attack against encrypted data at test?

  A. Short key length
  B. Random key generation
  C. Use of symmetric encryption
  D. Use of asymmetric encryption
  A. Short key length

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  Explanation

  The condition that would be of most concern to an IS auditor assessing the risk of a successful brute force attack against encrypted data at rest is short key length. A brute force attack is a method of breaking encryption by trying all possible combinations of keys until finding the correct one. The shorter the key length, the easier it is for an attacker to guess or crack the encryption. Random key generation, use of symmetric encryption, and use of asymmetric encryption are not conditions that would increase the risk of a successful brute force attack. In fact, random key generation can enhance security by preventing predictable patterns in key selection. Symmetric encryption and asymmetric encryption are different types of encryption that have their own advantages and disadvantages, but neither is inherently more vulnerable to brute force attacks than the other.

  References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version): Chapter 5 - Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience

• Question 924:

  Which of the following is the MOST appropriate indicator of change management effectiveness?

  A. Time lag between changes to the configuration and the update of records
  B. Number of system software changes
  C. Time lag between changes and updates of documentation materials
  D. Number of incidents resulting from changes
  D. Number of incidents resulting from changes

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  Explanation

  Change management is the process of planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating changes to an organization's information systems and related components. Change management aims to ensure that changes are aligned with the business objectives, minimize risks and disruptions, and maximize benefits and value. One of the key aspects of change management is measuring its effectiveness, which means assessing whether the changes have achieved the desired outcomes and met the expectations of the stakeholders. There are various indicators that can be used to measure change management effectiveness, such as time, cost, quality, scope, satisfaction, and performance. Among the four options given, the most appropriate indicator of change management effectiveness is the number of incidents resulting from changes. An incident is an unplanned event or interruption that affects the normal operation or service delivery of an information system. Incidents can be caused by various factors, such as errors, defects, failures, malfunctions, or malicious attacks. Incidents can have negative impacts on the organization, such as loss of data, productivity, reputation, or revenue. The number of incidents resulting from changes is a direct measure of how well the changes have been planned, implemented, monitored, and evaluated. A high number of incidents indicates that the changes have not been properly tested, verified, communicated, or controlled. A low number of incidents indicates that the changes have been executed smoothly and successfully. Therefore, the number of incidents resulting from changes reflects the quality and effectiveness of the change management process. The other three options are not as appropriate indicators of change management effectiveness as the number of incidents resulting from changes. The time lag between changes to the configuration and the update of records is a measure of how timely and accurate the configuration management process is. Configuration management is a subset of change management that focuses on identifying, documenting, and controlling the configuration items (CIs) that make up an information system. The time lag between changes and updates of documentation materials is a measure of how well the documentation process is aligned with the change management process. Documentation is an important aspect of change management that provides information and guidance to the stakeholders involved in or affected by the changes. The number of system software changes is a measure of how frequently and extensively the system software is modified or updated. System software changes are a type of change that affects the operating system, middleware, or utilities that support an information system. While these three indicators are relevant and useful for measuring certain aspects of change management, they do not directly measure the outcomes or impacts of the changes on the organization. They are more related to the inputs or activities of change management than to its outputs or results. Therefore, they are not as appropriate indicators of change management effectiveness as the number of incidents resulting from changes.

  References: Metrics for Measuring Change Management - Prosci How to Measure Change Management Effectiveness: Metrics, Tools and Processes Metrics for Measuring Change Management 2023 - Zendesk

• Question 925:

  Disciplinary policies are BEST classified as.

  A. compensating controls
  B. preventive controls.
  C. directive controls
  D. corrective controls
  C. directive controls

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  Explanation

• Question 926:

  Which of the following IS audit recommendations would BEST help to ensure appropriate mitigation will occur on control weaknesses identified during an audit?

  A. Assign actions to responsible personnel and follow up.
  B. Report on progress to the audit committee.
  C. Perform a cost-benefit analysis on remediation strategy.
  D. Implement software to input the action points from the IS audit.
  A. Assign actions to responsible personnel and follow up.

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  Explanation

• Question 927:

  Which of the following is an IS auditor's BEST course of action when the auditee indicates that a corrective action plan for a high-risk finding will take longer than expected?

  A. Accept the longer target date and document it in the audit system.
  B. Determine if an interim compensating control has been implemented.
  C. Escalate the overdue finding to the audit committee.
  D. Require that remediation is completed in the agreed timeframe.
  B. Determine if an interim compensating control has been implemented.

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  Explanation

  Explanation

• Question 928:

  An organization's IT risk assessment should include the identification of:

  A. vulnerabilities
  B. compensating controls
  C. business needs
  D. business process owners
  A. vulnerabilities

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  Explanation

  An IT risk assessment is the process of identifying and assessing the threats facing an organization's information systems, networks, and data. An IT risk assessment helps an organization to understand its current risk profile, prioritize its risks, and implement appropriate controls to mitigate them. An IT risk assessment also helps an organization to comply with relevant laws and standards, such as ISO 27001 or CMMC. One of the key steps in an IT risk assessment is the identification of vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities are the weaknesses or gaps in an organization's information security that could be exploited by internal or external threats. Vulnerabilities can exist in various aspects of an organization's information security, such as: Hardware: The physical devices and components that store or process information Software: The applications and programs that run on hardware devices Network: The communication channels and protocols that connect hardware devices Data: The information that is stored or transmitted by hardware devices or software applications People: The users or personnel who access or manage information systems or data Processes: The procedures or workflows that govern how information systems or data are used or maintained By identifying vulnerabilities in each of these aspects, an organization can assess its exposure to potential threats, such as hackers, malware, natural disasters, human errors, or sabotage. By identifying vulnerabilities, an organization can also determine its risk level for each threat scenario, based on the likelihood and impact of a successful attack. By identifying vulnerabilities, an organization can also identify the existing or required controls to prevent or reduce the impact of an attack. Therefore, an IT risk assessment should include the identification of vulnerabilities as a crucial component.

  References:

  4: What Is an IT Risk Assessment? (Plus Benefits and Components) | Indeed.com

  5: How to Perform a Successful IT Risk Assessment - Hyperproof

  6: IT Risk Resources | ISACA

• Question 929:

  Which of the following strategies BEST optimizes data storage without compromising data retention practices?

  A. Limiting the size of file attachments being sent via email
  B. Automatically deleting emails older than one year
  C. Moving emails to a virtual email vault after 30 days
  D. Allowing employees to store large emails on flash drives
  A. Limiting the size of file attachments being sent via email

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  Explanation

  The best strategy to optimize data storage without compromising data retention practices is to limit the size of file attachments being sent via email. This strategy can reduce the amount of storage space required for email messages, as well as the network bandwidth consumed by email traffic. File attachments can be large and often contain redundant or unnecessary information that can be compressed, converted, or removed before sending. By limiting the size of file attachments, the sender can encourage the use of more efficient formats, such as PDF or ZIP, or alternative methods of sharing files, such as cloud storage or web links. This can also improve the security and privacy of email communications, as large attachments may pose a higher risk of being intercepted, corrupted, or infected by malware.

  References: Data Storage Optimization: What is it and Why Does it Matter? Data storage optimization 101: Everything you need to know

• Question 930:

  Which of the following would be an appropriate rote of internal audit in helping to establish an organization's privacy program?

  A. Analyzing risks posed by new regulations
  B. Designing controls to protect personal data
  C. Defining roles within the organization related to privacy
  D. Developing procedures to monitor the use of personal data
  A. Analyzing risks posed by new regulations

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  Explanation

  Analyzing risks posed by new regulations is an appropriate role of internal audit in helping to establish an organization's privacy program. An internal auditor can provide assurance and advisory services on the compliance and effectiveness of the privacy program, as well as identify and assess the potential risks and impacts of new or changing privacy regulations. The other options are not appropriate roles of internal audit, but rather the responsibilities of the management, the information security officer, or the privacy officer.

  References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 7, Section 7.4.21 CISA Review Questions, Answers and Explanations Database, Question ID 216