Certified Information Systems Auditor
(CISA) Examination Questions And
Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
Question 1
An IS auditor is evaluating whether an organization’s IT governance framework
aligns with business objectives. Which of the following is the MOST important
indicator of effective IT governance?
A. Frequency of security patches applied
B. Degree of alignment between IT strategy and business strategy
C. Number of IT incidents reported monthly
D. Volume of user access requests processed
A. Frequency of security patches applied
Rationale: IT governance focuses on ensuring that IT supports and extends
business strategy rather than operating as a purely technical function. While
patching, incidents, and access requests are operational metrics, they do not
directly measure strategic alignment. The most important indicator is how well
IT strategy aligns with business strategy, as this demonstrates governance
effectiveness in achieving organizational goals.
Question 2
,During an audit, it is discovered that system changes are deployed directly into
production without formal approval. What is the MOST significant risk?
A. Increased system performance
B. Reduced documentation overhead
C. Unauthorized or untested changes affecting system integrity
D. Faster deployment cycles
C. Unauthorized or untested changes affecting system integrity
Rationale: Change management controls exist to ensure that all system
modifications are tested, authorized, and documented. Direct production
deployment bypasses these controls, increasing the risk of system instability,
security vulnerabilities, and data corruption. While speed may increase, the
overriding concern is system integrity and control failure.
Question 3
Which control BEST ensures that data processed by an application remains
complete and accurate?
A. Input validation controls
B. Encryption controls
C. Firewall rules
D. Physical access restrictions
A. Input validation controls
Rationale: Input validation ensures that only correct, complete, and properly
formatted data enters the system. This directly protects data integrity at the
point of entry. Encryption, firewalls, and physical controls are important but do
not ensure correctness of data itself.
Question 4
,An organization wants to ensure continuity of critical systems during disasters.
What is the MOST effective control?
A. Offsite backups
B. Disaster recovery plan with tested failover sites
C. Antivirus software
D. User awareness training
B. Disaster recovery plan with tested failover sites
Rationale: Business continuity depends not just on backups but on the ability to
restore operations quickly. A tested disaster recovery plan with failover
capability ensures systems can continue functioning, making it the most
effective continuity control.
Question 5
Which of the following is the PRIMARY objective of an IS audit?
A. Detect fraud after it occurs
B. Ensure compliance with accounting standards
C. Evaluate adequacy of controls supporting information systems
D. Improve software development speed
C. Evaluate adequacy of controls supporting information systems
Rationale: The core purpose of IS auditing is to assess whether controls are
properly designed and operating effectively to protect information assets. Fraud
detection, compliance, and development speed are secondary or indirect
outcomes.
Question 6
What is the MOST important consideration when reviewing logical access
controls?
, A. Number of IT staff available
B. User access is based on least privilege principle
C. Type of operating system used
D. Age of the hardware system
B. User access is based on least privilege principle
Rationale: Least privilege ensures users only have access necessary for their job
functions, reducing risk exposure. Hardware age or staffing levels do not directly
affect access control effectiveness.
Question 7
Which process ensures that IT investments deliver expected business value?
A. IT asset inventory
B. IT governance framework
C. Network monitoring
D. Data encryption standards
B. IT governance framework
Rationale: IT governance ensures that IT investments align with business goals
and deliver measurable value. Asset inventory and encryption are operational
controls, not value assurance mechanisms.
Question 8
What is the PRIMARY purpose of segregation of duties?
A. Increase employee productivity
B. Reduce risk of fraud and error
C. Improve system performance
D. Simplify audit procedures
B. Reduce risk of fraud and error
(CISA) Examination Questions And
Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
Question 1
An IS auditor is evaluating whether an organization’s IT governance framework
aligns with business objectives. Which of the following is the MOST important
indicator of effective IT governance?
A. Frequency of security patches applied
B. Degree of alignment between IT strategy and business strategy
C. Number of IT incidents reported monthly
D. Volume of user access requests processed
A. Frequency of security patches applied
Rationale: IT governance focuses on ensuring that IT supports and extends
business strategy rather than operating as a purely technical function. While
patching, incidents, and access requests are operational metrics, they do not
directly measure strategic alignment. The most important indicator is how well
IT strategy aligns with business strategy, as this demonstrates governance
effectiveness in achieving organizational goals.
Question 2
,During an audit, it is discovered that system changes are deployed directly into
production without formal approval. What is the MOST significant risk?
A. Increased system performance
B. Reduced documentation overhead
C. Unauthorized or untested changes affecting system integrity
D. Faster deployment cycles
C. Unauthorized or untested changes affecting system integrity
Rationale: Change management controls exist to ensure that all system
modifications are tested, authorized, and documented. Direct production
deployment bypasses these controls, increasing the risk of system instability,
security vulnerabilities, and data corruption. While speed may increase, the
overriding concern is system integrity and control failure.
Question 3
Which control BEST ensures that data processed by an application remains
complete and accurate?
A. Input validation controls
B. Encryption controls
C. Firewall rules
D. Physical access restrictions
A. Input validation controls
Rationale: Input validation ensures that only correct, complete, and properly
formatted data enters the system. This directly protects data integrity at the
point of entry. Encryption, firewalls, and physical controls are important but do
not ensure correctness of data itself.
Question 4
,An organization wants to ensure continuity of critical systems during disasters.
What is the MOST effective control?
A. Offsite backups
B. Disaster recovery plan with tested failover sites
C. Antivirus software
D. User awareness training
B. Disaster recovery plan with tested failover sites
Rationale: Business continuity depends not just on backups but on the ability to
restore operations quickly. A tested disaster recovery plan with failover
capability ensures systems can continue functioning, making it the most
effective continuity control.
Question 5
Which of the following is the PRIMARY objective of an IS audit?
A. Detect fraud after it occurs
B. Ensure compliance with accounting standards
C. Evaluate adequacy of controls supporting information systems
D. Improve software development speed
C. Evaluate adequacy of controls supporting information systems
Rationale: The core purpose of IS auditing is to assess whether controls are
properly designed and operating effectively to protect information assets. Fraud
detection, compliance, and development speed are secondary or indirect
outcomes.
Question 6
What is the MOST important consideration when reviewing logical access
controls?
, A. Number of IT staff available
B. User access is based on least privilege principle
C. Type of operating system used
D. Age of the hardware system
B. User access is based on least privilege principle
Rationale: Least privilege ensures users only have access necessary for their job
functions, reducing risk exposure. Hardware age or staffing levels do not directly
affect access control effectiveness.
Question 7
Which process ensures that IT investments deliver expected business value?
A. IT asset inventory
B. IT governance framework
C. Network monitoring
D. Data encryption standards
B. IT governance framework
Rationale: IT governance ensures that IT investments align with business goals
and deliver measurable value. Asset inventory and encryption are operational
controls, not value assurance mechanisms.
Question 8
What is the PRIMARY purpose of segregation of duties?
A. Increase employee productivity
B. Reduce risk of fraud and error
C. Improve system performance
D. Simplify audit procedures
B. Reduce risk of fraud and error
