The answer is that the RTO of 4 hours is not achievable given the backup transfer time. This is because the disaster recovery plan’s feasibility hinges on whether the stated recovery time objective can be met by the actual infrastructure; here, the 500 GB full backup requires approximately 12 hours to transfer over the 10 Mbps WAN link, far exceeding the 4-hour RTO window, and the hourly transaction log backups alone cannot restore the full database state without the full backup first. On the CISA exam, this scenario tests your ability to identify a disconnect between documented recovery objectives and real-world technical constraints, a common trap where candidates focus on the lack of testing rather than the fundamental mathematical impossibility of meeting the RTO. A strong memory tip for DRP RTO RPO feasibility assessments is “math before myth”—always calculate transfer and restore times against the stated RTO before accepting management’s confidence.
CISA Information System Auditing Process Practice Question
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of information system auditing process. 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.
An IS auditor is reviewing the disaster recovery plan (DRP) for an e-commerce company that generates 90% of its revenue online. The DRP states that the recovery time objective (RTO) for the transactional database is 4 hours, and the recovery point objective (RPO) is 1 hour. The current backup strategy includes nightly full backups and hourly transaction log backups stored on a local disk array. The backups are then copied to a remote datacenter via a WAN link with an average transfer speed of 10 Mbps. The database size is 500 GB. The auditor calculates that the time to transfer the full backup over the WAN is approximately 12 hours. The organization's management is confident that the DRP is adequate because they have never had to invoke it. What is the auditor's MOST critical finding?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "never"
Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The RTO of 4 hours is not achievable given the backup transfer time.
The DRP states an RTO of 4 hours for the transactional database, but the full backup transfer time over the 10 Mbps WAN link is approximately 12 hours. Since the backup must be restored before the database can be made available, the RTO cannot be met. This is the most critical finding because it directly invalidates a core recovery objective, regardless of whether the plan has been tested.
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.
✗
The DRP has never been tested, so its feasibility is unknown.
Why it's wrong here
Lack of testing is a concern, but the transfer time calculation directly shows infeasibility.
✗
The backup strategy does not include encryption for data in transit.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption is important but not as critical as recoverability.
✓
The RTO of 4 hours is not achievable given the backup transfer time.
Why this is correct
The 12-hour transfer time far exceeds the 4-hour RTO, making the DRP infeasible.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "never" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The RPO of 1 hour is not achievable because transaction logs are only taken hourly.
Why it's wrong here
Hourly logs can achieve 1-hour RPO; the issue is RTO.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates focus on the lack of testing (Option A) as the most critical finding, but the question is designed to test whether you can identify a quantitative, objective failure to meet a stated recovery objective over a qualitative process concern.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Lack of testing is a concern, but the transfer time calculation directly shows infeasibility.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The calculation: 500 GB = 500 * 8 = 4000 gigabits; at 10 Mbps, transfer time = 4000 / 10 = 400 seconds = ~111 hours, but the question states 12 hours, likely assuming compression or effective throughput. Even at 12 hours, it far exceeds the 4-hour RTO. In practice, WAN transfer times are often underestimated due to protocol overhead (TCP windowing, latency) and competing traffic, making the gap even worse. A proper DRP should include a backup strategy that allows restoration within the RTO, such as using incremental backups or a faster replication method like asynchronous log shipping.
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.
Information System Auditing Process — This question tests Information System Auditing Process — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The RTO of 4 hours is not achievable given the backup transfer time. — The DRP states an RTO of 4 hours for the transactional database, but the full backup transfer time over the 10 Mbps WAN link is approximately 12 hours. Since the backup must be restored before the database can be made available, the RTO cannot be met. This is the most critical finding because it directly invalidates a core recovery objective, regardless of whether the plan has been tested.
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: "never". Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
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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