The answer is implementing user behavior analytics (UBA) on the EHR access logs. This is the most cost-effective control because UBA directly addresses the core issue of insider threats by applying machine learning to user behavior analytics for healthcare access logs, automatically establishing baselines of normal activity and flagging anomalies like after-hours access or unusual record volumes without requiring expensive SIEM deployment or manual log review. On the CISA exam, this scenario tests your understanding of detective controls versus preventive controls like RBAC—a common trap is choosing a more expensive or redundant solution, such as additional logging or stronger passwords, when UBA specifically targets the unauthorized access pattern already occurring. Remember the mnemonic “UBA for UBA” (User Behavior Analytics for Unauthorized Behavior Analytics): if the problem is insiders bypassing legitimate access, UBA is the lean, automated detective control that catches what RBAC and passwords miss.
CISA Protection of Information Assets Practice Question
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of protection of information assets. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A healthcare organization is required to comply with HIPAA regulations for protecting electronic protected health information (ePHI). The organization uses a cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) system. During a compliance audit, it is discovered that some employees are accessing patient records without a legitimate business need. The EHR system logs all access, but there is no automated process to review logs or detect anomalous behavior. The organization has implemented role-based access control (RBAC) and requires strong passwords, but unauthorized access continues. The IT manager proposes implementing a security information and event management (SIEM) system to collect and correlate logs. However, the budget is limited. Which additional control would be most cost-effective to reduce unauthorized access to patient records?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Implementing user behavior analytics (UBA) on the EHR access logs
User behavior analytics (UBA) is the most cost-effective control because it directly addresses the core issue: unauthorized access by insiders. UBA applies machine learning to EHR access logs to establish baselines of normal user behavior and detect anomalous patterns (e.g., accessing records outside work hours or from unusual locations) without requiring manual log review. This provides automated, real-time detection of the specific unauthorized access incidents that are occurring, which the current logging system alone cannot provide.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Conducting a quarterly review of user access rights and removing unnecessary privileges
Why it's wrong here
Periodic review is good but does not detect ongoing misuse.
✗
Encrypting all ePHI at rest and in transit
Why it's wrong here
Encryption protects data in case of theft but does not prevent authorized user misuse.
✗
Increasing the logging level to capture every keystroke
Why it's wrong here
More logs without analysis increase noise and cost.
✓
Implementing user behavior analytics (UBA) on the EHR access logs
Why this is correct
UBA detects anomalous behavior without manual review.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose encryption (Option B) as a catch-all security control, but encryption does not address the insider threat of authorized users abusing their access—it only protects data from external interception or theft.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
UBA typically uses unsupervised machine learning algorithms (e.g., clustering, isolation forests) to model user behavior based on features like access time, frequency, record types, and IP addresses. It can detect subtle anomalies such as a user accessing 50 records in one hour when their baseline is 5, or accessing a patient record from a department they don't work in. In real-world healthcare deployments, UBA can reduce mean time to detect (MTTD) insider threats from weeks to minutes, and it integrates with SIEM systems via syslog or API for correlation.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Protection of Information Assets — This question tests Protection of Information Assets — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implementing user behavior analytics (UBA) on the EHR access logs — User behavior analytics (UBA) is the most cost-effective control because it directly addresses the core issue: unauthorized access by insiders. UBA applies machine learning to EHR access logs to establish baselines of normal user behavior and detect anomalous patterns (e.g., accessing records outside work hours or from unusual locations) without requiring manual log review. This provides automated, real-time detection of the specific unauthorized access incidents that are occurring, which the current logging system alone cannot provide.
What should I do if I get this CISA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This CISA practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA 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 CISA exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.