- A
Inadequate training of service desk staff.
Why wrong: While training may help, the process itself is weak.
- B
SLA targets are too aggressive for P2 incidents.
Why wrong: The SLA is being missed due to process issues, not because it's unrealistic.
- C
Insufficient number of second-level support staff.
Why wrong: The issue is tracking, not staffing.
- D
Lack of automated escalation and tracking for incident reassignments.
Automation would ensure updates and track SLA compliance.
Question 641 of 984
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 organization's IT service desk is the single point of contact for all incidents. The SLA for resolving P2 incidents is 8 hours. The auditor finds that the service desk frequently reassigns P2 incidents to second-level support without updating the incident record, causing delays in resolution. The average resolution time for P2 incidents is 10 hours. What is the primary control weakness?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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
✓
Lack of automated escalation and tracking for incident reassignments.
The primary control weakness is the lack of automated escalation and tracking for incident reassignments. Without automated mechanisms (e.g., workflow triggers, timestamped reassignment logs, or integration with IT service management tools), the service desk can reassign P2 incidents to second-level support without updating the incident record, leading to untracked delays. This directly violates the SLA of 8 hours, as the average resolution time of 10 hours indicates that incidents are not being monitored or escalated properly, causing them to exceed the target.
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.
- ✗
Inadequate training of service desk staff.
Why it's wrong here
While training may help, the process itself is weak.
- ✗
SLA targets are too aggressive for P2 incidents.
Why it's wrong here
The SLA is being missed due to process issues, not because it's unrealistic.
- ✗
Insufficient number of second-level support staff.
Why it's wrong here
The issue is tracking, not staffing.
- ✓
Lack of automated escalation and tracking for incident reassignments.
Why this is correct
Automation would ensure updates and track SLA compliance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" 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 focus on the symptom (delays) and choose a seemingly logical cause like inadequate training or insufficient staff, rather than recognizing that the root cause is the lack of automated controls to enforce proper incident tracking and escalation procedures.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In ITIL-based incident management, automated escalation and tracking rely on workflow engines that enforce mandatory field updates (e.g., reassignment reason, timestamp, and owner) before an incident can be moved to a different support tier. Without such automation, manual processes are prone to human error, and audit trails become incomplete, making it impossible to measure SLA compliance accurately. Real-world tools like ServiceNow or Jira Service Management use state models and transition rules to prevent reassignment without logging, ensuring that every handoff is recorded and time-stamped for SLA monitoring.
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.
Visual reference
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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Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience — study guide chapter
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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: Lack of automated escalation and tracking for incident reassignments. — The primary control weakness is the lack of automated escalation and tracking for incident reassignments. Without automated mechanisms (e.g., workflow triggers, timestamped reassignment logs, or integration with IT service management tools), the service desk can reassign P2 incidents to second-level support without updating the incident record, leading to untracked delays. This directly violates the SLA of 8 hours, as the average resolution time of 10 hours indicates that incidents are not being monitored or escalated properly, causing them to exceed the target.
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: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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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