CISA Protection of Information Assets Practice Question
During an audit of a public key infrastructure (PKI), the IS auditor finds that certificate revocation lists (CRLs) are only updated weekly. Which of the following is the MOST significant risk?
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
✓
Revoked certificates may be accepted as valid
Delays in CRL updates increase the window during which a revoked certificate may be accepted, potentially allowing unauthorized access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Certificate authorities may become unavailable
Why it's wrong here
Unrelated to update frequency.
- ✓
Revoked certificates may be accepted as valid
Why this is correct
The purpose of CRLs is to prevent use of revoked certificates; infrequent updates create a window of vulnerability.
- ✗
Increased network traffic due to large CRLs
Why it's wrong here
This is a performance issue, not a security risk.
- ✗
Users may experience delays in certificate validation
Why it's wrong here
This is a usability issue, not the most significant security risk.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.