CAS-004 Governance, Risk, and Compliance Practice Question
An organization is implementing a vendor risk management program and is reviewing a contract that includes a right-to-audit clause. Which THREE of the following are common elements that should be verified during such an audit? (Select THREE.)
⚠ Common exam trap
CAS-005 often tests the distinction between security-focused audit elements and broader business or HR factors, tempting candidates to select financial stability or employee satisfaction as part of a right-to-audit, which are typically outside the scope of information security audits.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Access control mechanisms
Option C (Access control mechanisms) is correct because a right-to-audit review must verify that the vendor enforces least privilege, authentication, and authorization controls to protect the organization's data from unauthorized access. Option D (Incident response procedures) is correct because the audit should confirm the vendor has documented detection, containment, eradication, and notification processes, including breach notification timelines, to meet contractual and regulatory obligations. Option E (Data encryption practices) is correct because auditors must verify encryption in transit and at rest, key management, and algorithm standards to ensure data confidentiality and integrity. Option A (Employee satisfaction surveys) is not a security or compliance control relevant to vendor risk, and Option B (Vendor's financial stability) is a business viability concern typically assessed during due diligence rather than a right-to-audit control review.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Employee satisfaction surveys
Why it's wrong here
Employee satisfaction surveys are an HR metric with no bearing on the controls a vendor operates, so they cannot evidence contractual or security compliance. They are tempting because audits often gather staff feedback, and they would be relevant when assessing internal culture or retention rather than vendor control effectiveness.
- ✗
Vendor's financial stability
Why it's wrong here
Financial stability is assessed during vendor due diligence and ongoing monitoring, not verified through a right-to-audit examination of controls. It is tempting because financial health does affect vendor risk, and it would be the right area to review when evaluating viability, insurance or continuity rather than control implementation.
- ✓
Access control mechanisms
Why this is correct
Access control mechanisms are a core control area verified under right-to-audit clauses, confirming that only authorised identities reach vendor systems and data. Auditors examine authentication, authorisation and privileged access management to validate the vendor's safeguards against unauthorised entry.
- ✓
Incident response procedures
Why this is correct
Incident response procedures are verified to confirm the vendor can detect, contain and notify the organisation of breaches within contractual timeframes. Auditors review documented playbooks, escalation paths and breach notification obligations, since these directly affect the customer's exposure under the right-to-audit clause.
- ✓
Data encryption practices
Why this is correct
Data encryption practices are audited to confirm that vendor-held data is protected at rest and in transit using approved algorithms and key management. This verifies confidentiality controls and contractual obligations, ensuring the vendor's handling of the organisation's data meets the agreed security baseline.
Quick reference
Symmetric Encryption Algorithm Comparison
| Algorithm | Key Size | Block Size | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AES-128 | 128-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | NIST approved; WPA3, TLS |
| AES-256 | 256-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | Preferred for sensitive / govt data |
| 3DES | 112-bit effective | 64-bit | Deprecated (2023) | Replaced by AES |
| DES | 56-bit | 64-bit | Broken | Cracked in < 24 h; never deploy |
| ChaCha20 | 256-bit | Stream cipher | Current | TLS 1.3, WireGuard |
Go deeper
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About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This CAS-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CAS-005 exam.