The correct answer is to update the BCP to reflect current processes and conduct a test. This is the best recommendation because an outdated business continuity plan, especially one that has not been revised in three years, poses a significant risk of containing obsolete recovery procedures, incorrect contact information, or dependencies on retired systems, all of which would render the plan ineffective during a real incident. On the CISA exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the BCP lifecycle, where policy compliance requires both periodic updates and validation through testing to ensure the documented steps align with the current operational environment. A common trap is to recommend only updating the document or only conducting a test, but ISACA guidelines emphasize that both actions are necessary to close the compliance gap. Remember the memory tip: "Update then Validate"—a stale plan is just a stack of paper until it is tested.
CISA Governance and Management of IT Practice Question
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of governance and management of it. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
A company's IT governance policy requires that all critical systems have a documented business continuity plan (BCP). During an audit, an IT auditor finds that the BCP for a critical financial system has not been updated in three years. Which of the following is the BEST recommendation?
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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Update the BCP to reflect current processes and conduct a test.
Option B is correct because IT governance policies require that BCPs remain current to reflect actual operational processes. An outdated BCP (three years stale) may contain obsolete recovery procedures, contact information, or dependencies, rendering it ineffective during a real incident. Updating the BCP and then testing it validates that the documented steps align with the current system architecture and can be executed successfully, which is a core requirement of the BCP lifecycle per ISACA guidelines.
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.
✗
Archive the outdated BCP and develop a new one from scratch.
Why it's wrong here
Archiving does not solve the need for an updated plan.
✓
Update the BCP to reflect current processes and conduct a test.
Why this is correct
Updating and testing ensures the plan is viable and aligns with governance requirements.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Accept the risk because the system has been stable.
Why it's wrong here
Risk acceptance is not appropriate; governance requires current plans.
✗
Implement a new system with built-in redundancy.
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the system is an overreaction and costly.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume a stable system means the BCP remains valid, but CISA tests the principle that BCPs must be living documents reviewed and tested at regular intervals (typically annually) regardless of system stability.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A BCP typically includes recovery time objectives (RTOs), recovery point objectives (RPOs), detailed step-by-step recovery procedures, system dependencies (e.g., network paths, database connections, authentication servers), and contact information for key personnel. Over three years, underlying infrastructure changes (e.g., OS patches, hardware upgrades, cloud migration) can invalidate these details. Testing the updated BCP—whether via tabletop exercise, walkthrough, or full simulation—validates that the documented procedures achieve the stated RTO/RPO under current conditions, a practice mandated by standards like ISO 22301 and NIST SP 800-34.
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.
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: Update the BCP to reflect current processes and conduct a test. — Option B is correct because IT governance policies require that BCPs remain current to reflect actual operational processes. An outdated BCP (three years stale) may contain obsolete recovery procedures, contact information, or dependencies, rendering it ineffective during a real incident. Updating the BCP and then testing it validates that the documented steps align with the current system architecture and can be executed successfully, which is a core requirement of the BCP lifecycle per ISACA guidelines.
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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Question Discussion
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