The answer is inadequate access controls or role-based permissions. This is the most likely control failure because the log entry shows user john.doe successfully executed a SELECT query against executive salary data despite having no legitimate business need, indicating that the database or application layer failed to enforce least-privilege principles. On the Certified Information Systems Auditor CISA exam, this scenario tests your understanding of logical access control failures—specifically, how improper role-based access control (RBAC) allows unauthorized data access even when other controls like authentication or logging are functioning. A common trap is to blame monitoring or encryption, but the core issue here is that permissions were not scoped to job function, which is a preventive control failure. Remember the memory tip: “If they can query it, the role didn’t limit it”—focus on what allowed the action, not what detected it afterward.
CISA Protection of Information Assets Practice Question
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of protection of information assets. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
Exhibit:
Output from a database audit log:
Timestamp: 2024-03-15 14:23:45
User: john.doe
Action: SELECT
Table: Employee_salaries
Rows: 500
Source_IP: 10.0.0.15
Query: SELECT salary FROM Employee_salaries WHERE department = 'Executive'
Refer to the exhibit. An auditor notices this log entry during a review. The user john.doe does not have a legitimate business need to access executive salaries. Which of the following is the MOST likely control failure?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Refer to the exhibit.
Exhibit:
Output from a database audit log:
Timestamp: 2024-03-15 14:23:45
User: john.doe
Action: SELECT
Table: Employee_salaries
Rows: 500
Source_IP: 10.0.0.15
Query: SELECT salary FROM Employee_salaries WHERE department = 'Executive'
A
Database firewall misconfiguration
Why wrong: The query was allowed, but the firewall might not be configured to block such queries.
B
Audit logging is not enabled
Why wrong: The log is present, so logging is working.
C
Inadequate access controls or role-based permissions
The user should not have SELECT privilege on the Employee_salaries table.
D
Lack of encryption at rest
Why wrong: Encryption does not prevent authorized users from accessing data.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Inadequate access controls or role-based permissions
The log entry shows user john.doe successfully accessed executive salary data via a SELECT query. Since the user has no legitimate business need for this data, the most likely control failure is inadequate access controls or role-based permissions (RBAC). Proper RBAC would restrict access to sensitive columns or tables based on job function, preventing unauthorized queries regardless of other controls.
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.
✗
Database firewall misconfiguration
Why it's wrong here
The query was allowed, but the firewall might not be configured to block such queries.
✗
Audit logging is not enabled
Why it's wrong here
The log is present, so logging is working.
✓
Inadequate access controls or role-based permissions
Why this is correct
The user should not have SELECT privilege on the Employee_salaries table.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Lack of encryption at rest
Why it's wrong here
Encryption does not prevent authorized users from accessing data.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may focus on the log entry's existence and incorrectly assume audit logging is the issue (Option B), when in fact the log proves logging works, and the real failure is the lack of preventive access controls that should have blocked the query before it executed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Role-based access control (RBAC) in databases is typically implemented via GRANT statements on specific tables, views, or columns (e.g., GRANT SELECT ON HR.Salaries TO HR_Managers only). Without such granular permissions, any user with database read access can query sensitive columns. In real-world scenarios, a common oversight is granting broad SELECT privileges to schemas or tables without restricting sensitive columns, which this log entry exemplifies—john.doe likely has excessive permissions due to a role like 'public' or a group membership that includes all employees.
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.
Protection of Information Assets — This question tests Protection of Information Assets — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Inadequate access controls or role-based permissions — The log entry shows user john.doe successfully accessed executive salary data via a SELECT query. Since the user has no legitimate business need for this data, the most likely control failure is inadequate access controls or role-based permissions (RBAC). Proper RBAC would restrict access to sensitive columns or tables based on job function, preventing unauthorized queries regardless of other controls.
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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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