CISA Exam Dumps - Certified Information Systems Auditor

The missing access control requirements should present the greatest concern to the IS auditor when reviewing a contract for the outsourcing of IT facilities. Access control requirements are essential for ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the outsourced IT resources and data. They specify the roles, responsibilities, and permissions of the outsourcing vendor and its staff, as well as the client and its users, in accessing and managing the IT facilities. They also define the security policies, standards, and procedures that the outsourcing vendor must follow to protect the IT facilities from unauthorized or malicious access, use, modification, or disclosure. Without clear and comprehensive access control requirements, the outsourcing contract may expose the client to significant risks of data breaches, compliance violations, service disruptions, or reputational damage.

Hardware configurations, help desk availability, and perimeter network security diagram are important aspects of an outsourcing contract, but they are not as critical as access control requirements. Hardware configurations describe the technical specifications and performance of the IT equipment that the outsourcing vendor will provide and maintain. Help desk availability defines the service levels and support channels that the outsourcing vendor will offer to the client and its users. Perimeter network security diagram illustrates the network architecture and security measures that the outsourcing vendor will implement to protect the IT facilities from external threats. These aspects can be verified or modified during the implementation or operation phases of the outsourcing contract, but access control requirements need to be established and agreed upon before signing the contract.

The greatest concern for an IS auditor evaluating the access controls for a shared customer relationship management (CRM) system is that audit logging is not enabled. Audit logging is a process that records and tracks the activities and events that occur on a system, such as who accessed what data, when, how, and why. Audit logging can help monitor and verify the compliance and effectiveness of the access controls, as well as detect and investigate any unauthorized or suspicious access or actions. Audit logging can also provide evidence and accountability for the security and integrity of the system and the data.

Without audit logging, the IS auditor would not be able to audit the access controls for the shared CRM system, as there would be no reliable or traceable records of the access history or patterns. Without audit logging, the organization would also not be able to identify or respond to any potential breaches or incidents that may compromise the confidentiality, availability, or accuracy of the CRM data. Without audit logging, the organization would also not be able to demonstrate or prove itscompliance with any applicable policies, regulations, or standards that may require audit logging for CRM systems.

Single sign-on is not enabled is not a great concern for an IS auditor evaluating the access controls for a shared CRM system, but rather a potential improvement or enhancement. Single sign-on is a process that allows users to access multiple systems or applications with one set of credentials, such as a username and password. Single sign-on can help simplify and streamline the user experience, as well as reduce the risk of password fatigue or compromise. However, single sign-on is not a mandatory or essential requirement for access controls, and it may also introduce some challenges or risks, such as dependency on a single point of failure or vulnerability.

Security baseline is not consistently applied is not a great concern for an IS auditor evaluating the access controls for a shared CRM system, but rather a minor issue or gap. Security baseline is a set of minimum security standards or requirements that apply to a system or application, such as password policies, encryption protocols, or firewall rules. Security baseline can help ensure that the system or application meets a certain level of security and compliance. However, security baseline is not a sufficient or comprehensive measure for access controls, and it may also need to be customized or adjusted according to the specific needs and risks of each system or application.

Complex passwords are not required is not a great concern for an IS auditor evaluating the access controls for a shared CRM system, but rather a common practice or recommendation. Complex passwords are passwords that are composed of a combination of different types of characters, such as letters, numbers, symbols, and cases. Complex passwords can help prevent or deter brute-force attacks or guessing attempts by making the passwords harder to crack or predict. However, complex passwords are not a guarantee or guarantee of security, and they may also have some drawbacks or limitations, such as user inconvenience, memorability issues, or reuse across multiple systems or applications.

The greatest concern to an IS auditor conducting an audit of an organization that recently experienced a ransomware attack is that backups were only performed within the local network. This means that the backups could have been encrypted or deleted by the ransomware, making it impossible to restore the data and systems without paying the ransom or losing the data. Backups are a critical part of the recovery process from a ransomware attack, and they should be performed frequently, securely, and off-site or in the cloud to ensure their availability and integrity.

The other options are not as concerning as option C, although they may also indicate some security weaknesses. Antivirus software was unable to prevent the attack even though it was properly updated, but this is not surprising given that ransomware variants are constantly evolving and antivirus software may not be able to detect them all. The most recent security patches were not tested prior to implementation, but this is a trade-off between security and availability that may be justified depending on the severity and urgency of the patches. Employees were not trained on cybersecurity policies and procedures, but this is a preventive measure that may not have prevented the attack if it was initiated by other means such as phishing or exploiting vulnerabilities.

The primary benefit of using one-time passwords is that an intercepted password cannot be reused, as it is valid only for a single login session or transaction. One-time passwords enhance the security of authentication by preventing replay attacks or password guessing. The other options are not the primary benefits of using one-time passwords. Security for applications can be automated with or without one-time passwords. Users may still have to memorize complex passwords or use a device or software to generate one-time passwords. Users can still be locked out of an account if they enter an incorrect or expired one-time password. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 6, Section 6.1

 The best way to prevent a chip-level security vulnerability from being exploited is to install vendor patches. A chip-level security vulnerability is a flaw in the design or implementation of a processor that allows an attacker to bypass the normal security mechanisms and access privileged information or execute malicious code. A vendor patch is a software update provided by the manufacturer of the processor that fixes or mitigates the vulnerability. Installing vendor patches can help to protect the system from known exploits and reduce the risk of data leakage or compromise.

Security awareness training, reviewing hardware vendor contracts, and reviewing security log incidents are not as effective as installing vendor patches for preventing a chip-level security vulnerability from being exploited. Security awareness training is an educational program that teaches users about the importance of security and how to avoid common threats. Reviewing hardware vendor contracts is a legal process that evaluates the terms and conditions of the agreement between the organization and the processor supplier. Reviewing security log incidents is an analytical process that examines the records of security events and activities on the system. These methods may be useful for other security purposes, but they do not directly address the root cause of the chip-level vulnerability or prevent its exploitation. References: Protecting your device against chip-related security vulnerabilities, New ‘Downfall’ Flaw Exposes Valuable Data in Generations of Intel Chips

According to the CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor Study Guide1, the correct answer to your question is A. Encrypt the disk drive. This is because encryption is a logical security measure that can protect data even if the physical device is stolen or lost. Encryption makes thedata unreadable and inaccessible without the proper key or password. The other options are not as effective as encryption in this scenario. Two-factor authentication is a user authentication method that requires two pieces of evidence to verify the user’s identity, such as a password and a code sent to a phone. However, this does not prevent unauthorized access to the data if the laptop is already logged in or if the attacker can bypass the authentication. Enhancing physical security is a preventive measure that can reduce the risk of theft, but it does not guarantee that theft will not occur or that the data will be safe if it does. Requiring the use of cable locks is another preventive measure that can deter thieves, but it can also be easily cut or removed by a determined attacker.

Continuous auditing provides the greatest assurance that a middleware application compiling data from multiple sales transaction databases for forecasting is operating effectively12. Continuous auditing involves the use of automated tools to continuously monitor and audit a system’s operations12. This allows for real-time identification and resolution of issues, ensuring that the system is always functioning as expected12. It also provides ongoing assurance about the integrity and reliability of the data being compiled by the middleware application12.

The role of a document owner when implementing a data classification policy in an organization is to classify documents to correctly reflect the level of sensitivity of information they contain. A document owner is the person who is ultimately responsible for the creation, maintenance, and protection of a document, usually a member of senior management or a business unit1. A data classification policy is a plan that defines how the organization categorizesits data based on its value, risk, and regulatory requirements, and how it handles and secures each data category2.

According to the data classification policy template by Netwrix3, one of the roles and responsibilities of the document owner is to assign data classification labels based on the data’s potential impact level. Data classification labels are tags or markings that indicate the sensitivity level of the data, such as public, internal, confidential, or restricted. The document owner should apply the data classification labels to the documents that contain the data, either manually or automatically, using tools and methods such as metadata, watermarks, headers, footers, or encryption. The document owner should also review and update the data classification labels periodically or whenever there is a change in the data’s sensitivity level.

By classifying documents to correctly reflect the level of sensitivity of information they contain, the document owner can help to ensure that the documents are handled in accordance with the data classification policy. This means that the documents are stored, accessed, shared, transmitted, and disposed of in a secure and appropriate manner, based on the rules and controls defined for each data category. This can also help to prevent data loss, leakage, or breach incidents that may cause harm or damage to the organization or its stakeholders.

Therefore, option A is the correct answer.