CISA Protection of Information Assets Practice Question
An IS auditor is reviewing the logical access controls for a cloud-based HR system. The system contains sensitive employee data. The auditor notes that user provisioning is performed by the HR department without IT involvement, and there is no formal access request or approval process. Which THREE of the following are the MOST significant risks?
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
✓
There is no audit trail of who granted access and why
Without formal access controls, users may receive excessive privileges, there is no audit trail for access grants, and segregation of duties is violated. While password security and user lockout are relevant, the primary risks stem from the lack of control over provisioning.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
There is no audit trail of who granted access and why
Why this is correct
Lack of formal process means no accountability.
- ✓
Segregation of duties between HR and IT is not maintained
Why this is correct
HR should not be solely responsible for IT access provisioning.
- ✗
Password policies may not be enforced
Why it's wrong here
Password policies are separate from the provisioning process.
- ✓
Users may be granted excessive privileges beyond their job requirements
Why this is correct
Without an approval process, there is no check on the principle of least privilege.
- ✗
User accounts may not be locked after multiple failed login attempts
Why it's wrong here
This is a separate control not directly related to provisioning.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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