The answer is to include security stories in the product backlog. This is correct because agile development requires security to be integrated continuously rather than bolted on at the end; by explicitly adding security requirements as user stories in the product backlog, the team ensures they are prioritized, estimated, and implemented incrementally within each sprint, embedding security into the development lifecycle from the start and reducing technical debt. On the CISA exam, this tests your understanding of how an IS auditor evaluates agile governance and risk management, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly recommend a separate security phase or a final security review—both violate agile principles. A key memory tip is to think of the backlog as a living contract: if security isn’t a story, it’s not a priority.
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.
In an agile development environment, an IS auditor reviews the backlog and finds that security requirements are not explicitly included. What 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
✓
Include security stories in the product backlog
In agile development, security should be integrated continuously rather than treated as an afterthought. Including security stories in the product backlog ensures that security requirements are prioritized, estimated, and implemented incrementally within each sprint, aligning with the agile principle of delivering value early and often. This approach embeds security into the development lifecycle from the start, reducing technical debt and vulnerabilities.
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.
✗
Engage external security auditors to define requirements
Why it's wrong here
External auditors can advise but the team should own security requirements.
✗
Allocate a separate sprint dedicated solely to security
Why it's wrong here
Separate sprints may not align with iterative nature and could miss integration.
✗
Perform comprehensive security testing during the final sprint
Why it's wrong here
Waiting until the end increases risk of late discovery of vulnerabilities.
✓
Include security stories in the product backlog
Why this is correct
Integrating security into the backlog ensures it is addressed incrementally.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" 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 often choose a dedicated security sprint (Option B) or final testing (Option C) because they resemble traditional security review phases, but the CISA exam emphasizes integrating security into every sprint to align with agile's continuous delivery and risk management principles.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Agile frameworks like Scrum use the product backlog as a single source of truth for all work, including non-functional requirements. Security stories should be written with acceptance criteria that define specific security controls (e.g., input validation, encryption at rest using AES-256, or OWASP Top 10 mitigations) and are estimated in story points. This allows the team to incorporate security tasks into sprint planning, ensuring that each increment is secure by design rather than relying on a final security gate.
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.
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: Include security stories in the product backlog — In agile development, security should be integrated continuously rather than treated as an afterthought. Including security stories in the product backlog ensures that security requirements are prioritized, estimated, and implemented incrementally within each sprint, aligning with the agile principle of delivering value early and often. This approach embeds security into the development lifecycle from the start, reducing technical debt and vulnerabilities.
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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