- A
Automated job scheduling for backups.
Why wrong: Automation helps ensure backups run, but not directly for recoverability.
- B
Offsite storage of backup media.
Protects against physical disasters at the primary site.
- C
Regular restore testing of backups.
Testing ensures backups are recoverable.
- D
Encryption of backup data.
Why wrong: Encryption is important for security, not directly for recoverability.
- E
Backup retention period of at least one year.
Why wrong: Retention period is important but not essential for recoverability; testing and offsite storage are.
Question 345 of 1,000
CISA Practice Question: Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of information systems operations and business resilience. 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.
An IS auditor is reviewing the backup process for a critical database. Which TWO of the following are essential controls to ensure data recoverability?
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
✓
Offsite storage of backup media.
Offsite storage of backup media (Option B) is essential because it protects against site-level disasters such as fire, flood, or physical theft. Without geographic separation, a single incident could destroy both the primary data and its backups, making recovery impossible. This control directly supports the recoverability objective by ensuring a usable copy exists outside the primary facility.
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.
- ✗
Automated job scheduling for backups.
Why it's wrong here
Automation helps ensure backups run, but not directly for recoverability.
- ✓
Offsite storage of backup media.
Why this is correct
Protects against physical disasters at the primary site.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Regular restore testing of backups.
Why this is correct
Testing ensures backups are recoverable.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Encryption of backup data.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption is important for security, not directly for recoverability.
- ✗
Backup retention period of at least one year.
Why it's wrong here
Retention period is important but not essential for recoverability; testing and offsite storage are.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse operational controls (like scheduling or encryption) with recoverability controls, forgetting that a backup is only as good as its ability to be restored from a separate location.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Offsite storage is often implemented using a rotation scheme such as Grandfather-Father-Son (GFS) or the 3-2-1 backup rule (three copies, two different media, one offsite). In practice, the offsite location should be at a sufficient distance (e.g., >50 miles) to avoid the same regional disaster, and the media must be transported securely (e.g., via encrypted courier or electronic vaulting). Without periodic restore testing, even an offsite backup may be silently corrupt due to bit rot or media degradation, which is why restore testing (Option C) is the other essential control.
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 practitioner preparing for the CISA exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISA question test?
Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience — This question tests Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Offsite storage of backup media. — Offsite storage of backup media (Option B) is essential because it protects against site-level disasters such as fire, flood, or physical theft. Without geographic separation, a single incident could destroy both the primary data and its backups, making recovery impossible. This control directly supports the recoverability objective by ensuring a usable copy exists outside the primary facility.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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