- A
Deploy the patch and inform the CAB after the fact during the next meeting.
Why wrong: While prompt action is needed, proper emergency change procedures should be used, not a post-hoc notification without prior approval.
- B
Wait for the next scheduled CAB meeting to approve the change.
Why wrong: Waiting 24 hours could expose the organization to the zero-day vulnerability for too long.
- C
Deploy the patch immediately without any approval as it is a critical security fix.
Why wrong: Bypassing the change management process entirely is not appropriate; emergency procedures should be followed.
- D
Use the emergency change process to obtain expedited approval from a designated CAB member.
An emergency change process allows swift approval for critical patches, balancing security and control.
Quick Answer
The answer is to use the emergency change management process to obtain expedited approval from a designated CAB member. This is correct because the ITIL framework explicitly defines an emergency change process for critical, time-sensitive situations like a zero-day vulnerability, where waiting for a full CAB meeting would introduce unacceptable security risk. The process allows a pre-authorized emergency authority or a single CAB member to approve the change, preserving governance and audit trails while bypassing the standard meeting schedule. On the CISA exam, this question tests your understanding of change management controls and the distinction between normal, standard, and emergency changes—a common trap is choosing to implement the patch without any approval, which violates segregation of duties and auditability. Remember the memory tip: “Emergency = Expedited Authority, not Exempted Authority.”
CISA Governance and Management of IT Practice Question
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of governance and management of it. 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 organization's IT department implemented a new change management process that requires all changes to be approved by a change advisory board (CAB). A critical security patch needs to be deployed within 2 hours to address an active zero-day vulnerability. The change request was submitted but the CAB is not scheduled to meet for another 24 hours. What is the BEST course of action?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Use the emergency change process to obtain expedited approval from a designated CAB member.
Option D is correct because it aligns with the ITIL-based emergency change process, which allows for expedited approval from a designated CAB member or emergency authority when a critical security patch must be deployed within hours to mitigate an active zero-day vulnerability. This ensures the change is authorized without waiting for the full CAB meeting, maintaining security while preserving governance and audit trails.
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.
- ✗
Deploy the patch and inform the CAB after the fact during the next meeting.
Why it's wrong here
While prompt action is needed, proper emergency change procedures should be used, not a post-hoc notification without prior approval.
- ✗
Wait for the next scheduled CAB meeting to approve the change.
Why it's wrong here
Waiting 24 hours could expose the organization to the zero-day vulnerability for too long.
- ✗
Deploy the patch immediately without any approval as it is a critical security fix.
Why it's wrong here
Bypassing the change management process entirely is not appropriate; emergency procedures should be followed.
- ✓
Use the emergency change process to obtain expedited approval from a designated CAB member.
Why this is correct
An emergency change process allows swift approval for critical patches, balancing security and control.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume any critical security patch can be deployed immediately without approval (Option C) or that informing the CAB after the fact (Option A) is acceptable, but CISA emphasizes that even emergency changes must follow a defined process with expedited approval to maintain control and accountability.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The emergency change process typically involves a predefined subset of the CAB (e.g., an emergency change manager or a designated CAB member) who can authorize changes outside normal meeting cycles, often using a documented procedure that includes post-implementation review. In real-world scenarios, organizations integrate this with ITIL frameworks and tools like ServiceNow, where emergency changes are flagged with a separate workflow and require immediate sign-off from an authorized approver, ensuring the change is recorded and later ratified by the full CAB.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISA question test?
Governance and Management of IT — This question tests Governance and Management of IT — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the emergency change process to obtain expedited approval from a designated CAB member. — Option D is correct because it aligns with the ITIL-based emergency change process, which allows for expedited approval from a designated CAB member or emergency authority when a critical security patch must be deployed within hours to mitigate an active zero-day vulnerability. This ensures the change is authorized without waiting for the full CAB meeting, maintaining security while preserving governance and audit trails.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 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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