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CISA Practice Question: A university is implementing a new student…
A university is implementing a new student information system. The project team uses an iterative development approach. During user acceptance testing, students report that the online course registration portal crashes when more than 100 users register simultaneously. The development team identifies a database connection pooling issue and estimates a fix will take three weeks. The project deadline is in two weeks. The project manager suggests deploying the system as is and fixing the issue after go-live, as the crash is rare. The IS auditor is consulted. What should the auditor recommend?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates assume a 'rare' crash can be accepted as a post-go-live fix, but the IS auditor must recognize that the crash occurs under a specific, predictable load threshold that is likely to be exceeded during normal operations, making it a high-risk defect that requires pre-deployment resolution.
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
✓
Delay the go-live until the defect is fixed and user acceptance testing is passed.
Deploying a system with a known critical defect that fails under expected load conditions violates the principle of delivering a reliable and secure system. The database connection pooling issue causes the portal to crash under concurrent user load, which is a functional failure that directly impacts business operations. Delaying go-live ensures the defect is fixed and user acceptance testing (UAT) is fully passed, aligning with the IS auditor's responsibility to recommend risk mitigation over acceptance of a preventable failure.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Delay the go-live until the defect is fixed and user acceptance testing is passed.
Why this is correct
Critical defect must be resolved before deployment.
- ✗
Document the risk and proceed with the go-live, planning to fix later.
Why it's wrong here
High risk to business operations.
- ✗
Deploy on time but restrict registration to fewer than 100 students per session.
Why it's wrong here
Impractical and not a proper control.
- ✗
Implement a temporary increase in server capacity to handle the load.
Why it's wrong here
Workaround but not a fix.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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