- (Topic 4)
Which of the following is MOST helpful for an IS auditor to review when evaluating an organizations business process that are supported by applications and IT systems?

1. A. Configuration management database (CMDB)
2. B. Enterprise architecture (EA)
3. C. IT portfolio management
4. D. IT service management

Correct Answer: B
The most helpful thing for an IS auditor to review when evaluating an organization’s business processes that are supported by applications and IT systems is the enterprise architecture (EA). EA is the practice of designing a business with a holistic view, considering all of its parts and how they interact. EA defines the overall goals, the strategies that support those goals, and the tactics that are needed to execute those strategies. EA also outlines the ways various components of IT projects interact with one another and with the business processes. By reviewing the EA, an IS auditor can gain a comprehensive understanding of how the organization aligns its IT efforts with its overall mission, business strategy, and priorities. An IS auditor can also assess the effectiveness, efficiency, agility, and continuity of complex business operations.
The other options are not as helpful as option B. A configuration management database (CMDB) is a database that stores and manages information about the components that make up an IT system. A CMDB tracks individual configuration items (CIs), such as hardware, software, or data assets, and their attributes, dependencies, and changes over time. A CMDB can help an IS auditor to monitor the performance, availability, and configuration of IT assets, but it does not provide a holistic view of how they support the business processes. IT portfolio management is the practice of managing IT investments, projects, and activities as a portfolio. IT portfolio management aims to optimize the value, risk, and cost of IT initiatives and align them with the business objectives. IT portfolio management can help an IS auditor to evaluate the return on IT investments and the alignment of IT projects with the business strategy, but it does not provide a detailed view of how they support the business processes. IT service management (ITSM) is the practice of planning, implementing, managing, and optimizing IT services to meet the needs of end users and customers. ITSM focuses on delivering IT as a service using standardized processes and best practices. ITSM can help an IS auditor to review the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of IT service delivery and support, but it does not provide a comprehensive view of how they support the business processes. References: What is
enterprise architecture (EA)? - RingCentral, What is a configuration management database (CMDB)? - Red Hat, IT Portfolio Management Strategies | Smartsheet, What is IT service management (ITSM)? | IBM

- (Topic 1)
Which of the following is the BEST justification for deferring remediation testing until the next audit?

1. A. The auditor who conducted the audit and agreed with the timeline has left the organization.
2. B. Management's planned actions are sufficient given the relative importance of the observations.
3. C. Auditee management has accepted all observations reported by the auditor.
4. D. The audit environment has changed significantly.

Correct Answer: D
Deferring remediation testing until the next audit is justified only when there are significant changes in the audit environment that affect the relevance or validity of the audit observations and recommendations. For example, if there are changes in the business processes, systems, regulations, or risks that require a new audit scope or approach. The other options are not valid justifications for deferring remediation testing, as they do not address the timeliness or quality of the audit follow-up process. The auditor who conducted the audit and agreed with the timeline has left the organization does not affect the responsibility of the audit function to ensure that remediation testing is performed as planned. Management’s planned actions are sufficient given the relative importance of the observations does not guarantee that management will actually implement those actions or that they will be effective in addressing the audit issues. Auditee management has accepted all observations reported by the auditor does not eliminate the need for verification of remediation actions by an independent party. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 2, Section 2.4

- (Topic 4)
An IS auditor is concerned that unauthorized access to a highly sensitive data center might be gained by piggybacking or tailgating. Which of the following is the BEST recommendation? (Choose Correct answer and give explanation from CISA Certification - Information Systems Auditor official book)

1. A. Biometrics
2. B. Procedures for escorting visitors
3. C. Airlock entrance
4. D. Intruder alarms

Correct Answer: C
The best recommendation to prevent unauthorized access to a highly sensitive data center by piggybacking or tailgating is to use an airlock entrance. An airlock entrance is a type of access control system that consists of two doors that are interlocked, so that only one door can be opened at a time. This prevents an unauthorized person from following an authorized person into the data center without being detected. An airlock entrance can also be integrated with other security measures, such as biometrics, card readers, or PIN pads, to verify the identity and authorization of each person entering the data center.
Biometrics (option A) is a method of verifying the identity of a person based on their physical or behavioral characteristics, such as fingerprints, iris scans, or voice recognition. Biometrics can provide a high level of security, but they are not sufficient to prevent piggybacking or tailgating, as an unauthorized person can still follow an authorized person who has been authenticated by the biometric system.
Procedures for escorting visitors (option B) is a policy that requires all visitors to the data center to be accompanied by an authorized employee at all times. This can help prevent unauthorized access by visitors, but it does not address the risk of piggybacking or tailgating by other employees or contractors who may have legitimate access to the building but not to the data center.
Intruder alarms (option D) are devices that detect and alert when an unauthorized person enters a restricted area. Intruder alarms can provide a deterrent and a response mechanism for unauthorized access, but they are not effective in preventing piggybacking or tailgating, as they rely on the detection of the intruder after they have already entered the data center.
References: 1: CISA Certification | Certified Information Systems Auditor | ISACA 2: CISA Certified Information Systems Auditor Study Guide, 4th Edition 3: CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor Study Guide [Book]

- (Topic 2)
Which of the following is the BEST reason for an organization to use clustering?

1. A. To decrease system response time
2. B. To Improve the recovery lime objective (RTO)
3. C. To facilitate faster backups
4. D. To improve system resiliency

Correct Answer: D
Clustering is a technique that groups multiple servers or nodes together to act as one system, providing high availability, scalability, and load balancing for applications or services. Clustering can improve system resiliency, which is the ability of a system to withstand or recover from failures or disruptions without compromising its functionality or performance. Clustering can achieve this by providing redundancy and fault tolerance for critical components or processes, enabling automatic failover and recovery in case of node failures, distributing workload among multiple nodes to avoid overloading or bottlenecks, and allowing dynamic addition or removal of nodes to meet changing demand or capacity needs. Clustering may also decrease system response time by improving performance and efficiency through load balancing and parallel processing, but this is not its primary purpose. Clustering may facilitate faster backups by enabling concurrent backup operations across multiple nodes, but this is not its main benefit. Clustering may improve the recovery time objective (RTO), which is the maximum acceptable time for restoring a system or service after a disruption, by reducing the downtime and data loss caused by failures, but this is not the best reason for using clustering, as there may be other factors that affect the RTO, such as backup frequency, recovery procedures, and testing methods.

- (Topic 4)
Which of the following should be of GREATEST concern to an IS auditor when auditing an organization's IT strategy development process?

1. A. The IT strategy was developed before the business plan
2. B. A business impact analysis (BIA) was not performed to support the IT strategy
3. C. The IT strategy was developed based on the current IT capability
4. D. Information security was not included as a key objective m the IT strategic plan.

Correct Answer: D
The greatest concern for an IS auditor when auditing an organization’s IT strategy development process is that information security was not included as a key objective in the IT strategic plan. Information security is a vital component of IT strategy, as it ensures the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information assets, and supports the business objectives and regulatory compliance. The other options are not as significant as the lack of information security in the IT strategic plan. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 1, Section 1.31