mediumMultiple Choice
CISA Practice Question: Refer to the exhibit
Exhibit
Test Case ID: TC-101 Test Name: User Login Step 1: Enter valid credentials Expected Result: Redirect to dashboard Actual Result: Error 'Invalid credentials' displayed Status: Failed
Refer to the exhibit. A tester executes test case TC-101 and records the result shown. What is the NEXT appropriate step in the testing process?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often think re-running the test (Option A) is the logical next step, but CISA emphasizes that defects must be formally logged before any remediation actions to maintain audit trail and process integrity.
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
✓
Log a defect in the defect tracking system
The tester executed TC-101 and observed a result that deviates from the expected behavior, indicating a defect. The immediate next step in the structured testing process is to log the defect in the defect tracking system to formally document the issue, assign severity, and initiate the resolution workflow. This aligns with the CISA testing lifecycle, where defects are captured before any re-testing or requirement changes.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Re-run the test case after the defect is fixed
Why it's wrong here
Re-running before the defect is logged, triaged and fixed wastes effort and yields the same failure. It is tempting because regression testing after a fix is legitimate, but that retest occurs only once the defect has been corrected and the build updated, not immediately after the failed execution.
- ✗
Create a new test case to cover the error
Why it's wrong here
A failed test case should be logged as a defect and retested after the fix, not replaced with a new case covering the error. It is tempting when the original case genuinely omits a scenario, but here the existing case already exercises the failing path, so creating another duplicates coverage.
- ✗
Update the requirements to reflect the actual behavior
Why it's wrong here
Changing requirements to match observed behaviour masks a defect and corrupts the baseline. It is tempting when the specification is genuinely wrong, but that decision requires change control and impact assessment; the immediate next step is raising a defect, not rewriting requirements.
- ✓
Log a defect in the defect tracking system
Why this is correct
Recording the observed result against TC-101 completes test execution; when actual behaviour deviates from the expected outcome, the tester's next action is to raise a defect so developers can investigate and fix it. Logging the defect preserves traceability between the failed test case and the resolution.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 934 original CISA practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.