- A
Design phase
Why wrong: Design phase addresses architecture but not initial requirements.
- B
Requirements phase
Correct. Security requirements are defined and approved by the business owner during this phase.
- C
Development phase
Why wrong: Development phase implements requirements but does not define them.
- D
Testing phase
Why wrong: Testing phase verifies requirements but does not define them.
Question 307 of 1,000
Information Systems Acquisition, Development, and Implementation →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
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.
During which phase of the SDLC should security requirements be formally documented and approved?
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
✓
Requirements phase
Security requirements must be formally documented and approved during the Requirements phase of the SDLC because this is when functional and non-functional needs, including security controls, are defined before any design or coding begins. Integrating security at this stage ensures that confidentiality, integrity, and availability requirements are captured in the system specification, preventing costly rework later. The Requirements phase is the earliest point where stakeholders can review and approve security constraints, such as encryption standards or access control policies, aligning them with business objectives.
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.
- ✗
Design phase
Why it's wrong here
Design phase addresses architecture but not initial requirements.
- ✓
Requirements phase
Why this is correct
Correct. Security requirements are defined and approved by the business owner during this phase.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Development phase
Why it's wrong here
Development phase implements requirements but does not define them.
- ✗
Testing phase
Why it's wrong here
Testing phase verifies requirements but does not define them.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the Requirements phase with the Design phase, mistakenly thinking security requirements are documented during design because that is when security controls are technically specified, but formal approval must occur earlier in the requirements stage to drive the entire development lifecycle.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In the SDLC, the Requirements phase produces artifacts like the Software Requirements Specification (SRS) or System Requirements Document (SRD), which include security requirements such as authentication mechanisms (e.g., using OAuth 2.0 or SAML), data-at-rest encryption (e.g., AES-256), and audit logging standards (e.g., RFC 5424). A real-world scenario is a healthcare system where HIPAA mandates that security requirements for patient data privacy are documented and approved during requirements gathering to ensure compliance from the start, rather than being added during testing. Under the hood, this phase often involves threat modeling (e.g., STRIDE) to identify security needs, which are then formally reviewed and signed off by stakeholders.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISA question test?
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: Requirements phase — Security requirements must be formally documented and approved during the Requirements phase of the SDLC because this is when functional and non-functional needs, including security controls, are defined before any design or coding begins. Integrating security at this stage ensures that confidentiality, integrity, and availability requirements are captured in the system specification, preventing costly rework later. The Requirements phase is the earliest point where stakeholders can review and approve security constraints, such as encryption standards or access control policies, aligning them with business objectives.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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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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