The correct answer is to implement a privileged access management (PAM) solution to control and monitor elevated access. This is the best course of action because insider threat prevention PAM directly addresses the root cause by enforcing the principle of least privilege, ensuring that users only have the access necessary for their role, and by providing continuous monitoring and auditing of all privileged sessions. On the CISA exam, this question tests your understanding of access control and incident response governance; a common trap is to choose a generic security awareness program, which is reactive and does not limit the technical capability of an insider with legitimate credentials. Remember the memory tip: “PAM stops the insider’s hand” — it physically controls the keys to the kingdom, making it the most effective preventive control against recurrence of an insider-driven breach.
CISA Governance and Management of IT Practice Question
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of governance and management of it. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 large enterprise recently experienced a data breach due to an insider threat. The IT governance committee is reviewing the incident and considering measures to prevent recurrence. Which of the following is the BEST course of action to address the root cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Implement a privileged access management (PAM) solution to control and monitor elevated access.
A privileged access management (PAM) solution directly addresses the root cause of an insider threat by controlling, monitoring, and auditing elevated access rights. Since the breach was caused by an insider, limiting and tracking privileged accounts prevents unauthorized or excessive use of administrative credentials, which is the most effective preventive measure against recurrence.
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.
✓
Implement a privileged access management (PAM) solution to control and monitor elevated access.
Why this is correct
PAM directly prevents and controls unauthorized privileged access, addressing the root cause.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase logging and auditing of all user activities.
Why it's wrong here
Logging alone does not prevent a breach; it only helps detection.
✗
Deploy a security information and event management (SIEM) tool.
Why it's wrong here
SIEM is a detective control, not preventive.
✗
Terminate the employment of the insider who caused the breach.
Why it's wrong here
Termination is a reactive measure after the breach, not preventive.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse detective controls (logging, SIEM) with preventive controls (PAM), or they mistakenly view termination as a root-cause fix rather than a reactive measure, failing to recognize that the root cause is the lack of access governance.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
PAM solutions enforce the principle of least privilege by implementing just-in-time (JIT) access, session recording, and credential rotation via protocols like RDP, SSH, or SQL*Net. Under the hood, a PAM system acts as a proxy, intercepting authentication requests and applying granular policies (e.g., time-bound approval workflows) before granting elevated access, which prevents lateral movement even if an insider's credentials are compromised. In real-world scenarios, PAM can block an insider from exfiltrating data by requiring multi-factor authentication and recording all keystrokes during a privileged session.
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.
Governance and Management of IT — This question tests Governance and Management of IT — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implement a privileged access management (PAM) solution to control and monitor elevated access. — A privileged access management (PAM) solution directly addresses the root cause of an insider threat by controlling, monitoring, and auditing elevated access rights. Since the breach was caused by an insider, limiting and tracking privileged accounts prevents unauthorized or excessive use of administrative credentials, which is the most effective preventive measure against recurrence.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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