mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CISA Practice Question: Refer to the exhibit
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
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.
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
✓
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.
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.
- ✗
Lack of encryption at rest
Why it's wrong here
Encryption does not prevent authorized users from accessing data.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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