The answer is change advisory board approval, as it is the best control to ensure system changes are authorized. This control works by requiring a formal, documented review from a cross-functional group of stakeholders—such as IT managers, security officers, and business representatives—who collectively assess the risk, impact, and necessity of each proposed change before implementation. On the Certified Information Systems Auditor CISA exam, this concept tests your understanding of preventive authorization controls within the change management process, often appearing in questions that contrast CAB approval with detective controls like audit logs or compensating controls like segregation of duties. A common trap is selecting "manager approval" instead, but the CAB provides a structured, documented, and independent authorization step that manager sign-off alone lacks. Remember the mnemonic: CAB = Collective Authorization Before implementation.
CISA Practice Question: Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of information systems acquisition, development and implementation. 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.
Which of the following is the BEST control to ensure that system changes are authorized?
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
✓
Change advisory board approval
The change advisory board (CAB) is the primary control for authorizing system changes because it provides a formal, documented approval process before any change is implemented. This ensures that changes are reviewed by stakeholders with appropriate authority, reducing the risk of unauthorized or poorly planned modifications. Without CAB approval, there is no definitive authorization step, making it the best control for ensuring authorization.
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.
✓
Change advisory board approval
Why this is correct
The CAB formally authorizes changes based on impact assessment.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Audit trail of all changes
Why it's wrong here
Audit trails provide detective control, not preventive authorization.
✗
Segregation of duties between developers and operators
Why it's wrong here
Segregation of duties is important but not the primary authorization control.
✗
Version control system
Why it's wrong here
Version control manages code versions but does not authorize changes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse detective controls (audit trails) or technical controls (version control) with the governance-based authorization control (CAB approval), leading them to select a control that records or manages changes rather than one that formally authorizes them.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In ITIL-based change management, the CAB typically includes representatives from security, operations, and business units, and its approval is often required for 'normal' changes, while 'standard' changes may be pre-approved. The authorization process often involves a change request (RFC) with a risk assessment, and the CAB's decision is recorded in a change management system, providing an immutable audit trail of authorization. This contrasts with version control systems like Git, which track commits but do not inherently enforce a separate approval workflow unless integrated with a change management tool.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
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.
Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation — This question tests Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Change advisory board approval — The change advisory board (CAB) is the primary control for authorizing system changes because it provides a formal, documented approval process before any change is implemented. This ensures that changes are reviewed by stakeholders with appropriate authority, reducing the risk of unauthorized or poorly planned modifications. Without CAB approval, there is no definitive authorization step, making it the best control for ensuring authorization.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.