CISA Practice Question: Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience
An IS auditor is reviewing the IT operations of a small company. The auditor finds that scheduled batch jobs are monitored manually by an operator who checks job logs each morning. Which of the following is the MOST significant risk associated with this practice?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is focusing on secondary operational issues like performance or security instead of the core weakness: delayed detection of job failures due to infrequent manual monitoring.
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
✓
Job failures may not be detected until the next morning, delaying critical business processes.
Manual monitoring once per day means that any failure occurring after the check will not be detected until the next day, potentially delaying critical business processes. Automated monitoring with real-time alerts is essential for timely detection and response. Resource contention, operator skill, and log access are relevant but are not the primary risk introduced by this practice.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Job failures may not be detected until the next morning, delaying critical business processes.
Why this is correct
With only a daily manual check, a failed batch job could go unnoticed for up to 24 hours. This delay can disrupt dependent business processes, such as financial reporting or payroll, causing operational and financial impact. Automated monitoring with alerts would enable immediate detection and response. This is the most significant risk because it directly affects timeliness and availability of critical processing.
- ✗
Batch jobs may run longer than expected, causing resource contention during peak hours.
Why it's wrong here
Resource contention is a valid operational concern, but it is a performance issue rather than the most significant risk. Manual monitoring does not inherently cause jobs to run longer; the job's design and scheduling determine runtime. The greater risk is that failures go undetected for extended periods, which manual morning checks cannot prevent. Thus, this option is not the most significant.
- ✗
The operator may lack the technical skills to restart failed jobs, leading to prolonged outages.
Why it's wrong here
Skill deficiency is a possibility, but the scenario does not indicate that the operator is unskilled. Even a skilled operator cannot react to failures that occur after the morning check. The primary weakness is the monitoring frequency, not operator competence. Therefore, this is not the most significant risk in the given situation.
- ✗
Manual monitoring increases the risk of unauthorized access to job logs containing sensitive data.
Why it's wrong here
Manual monitoring does not inherently increase unauthorized access risk; access controls on job logs are a separate matter. The scenario focuses on the monitoring method, not access controls. While log security is important, it is not the most significant risk arising from the manual, once-daily check. The delayed detection of failures is a more direct and severe risk.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISACA exam blueprint
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