- A
Postpone security decisions to later phases
Why wrong: Delaying security decisions can lead to costly rework and may introduce security gaps that are harder to fix later.
- B
Let the project team decide based on development ease
Why wrong: The project team may not have the authority or perspective to make such strategic decisions; stakeholder input is essential.
- C
Conduct a risk assessment to balance security and usability
A risk assessment identifies and evaluates threats, allowing the organization to make a balanced decision that aligns security controls with business needs.
- D
Implement all security controls regardless of convenience
Why wrong: This approach may lead to user resistance and reduced productivity, and does not consider the actual risk level.
Quick Answer
The correct choice is to conduct a risk assessment to balance security and usability. This is the best approach because a risk assessment provides a structured, evidence-based framework for evaluating the likelihood and impact of specific threats—such as transaction fraud or data breaches in a financial system—against the need for user convenience, allowing the organization to prioritize controls that mitigate high-risk exposures without unnecessarily hindering legitimate business processes. On the CISA exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the COBIT 5 principle of balancing benefits, risk, and resource optimization, and it often appears as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose a strict security-first or usability-first option. A common memory tip is to remember that risk assessment is the “golden scale” for security versus convenience: it weighs the cost of a control against the cost of a breach, not against user frustration.
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 the requirements gathering phase for a new financial system, stakeholders disagree on the priority of security controls versus user convenience. Which of the following is the BEST approach?
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 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
Conduct a risk assessment to balance security and usability
Option C is correct because a risk assessment provides a structured, evidence-based framework for balancing security controls against user convenience during requirements gathering. By evaluating the likelihood and impact of threats specific to financial systems (e.g., transaction fraud, data breaches) against usability needs, the organization can prioritize controls that mitigate high-risk exposures without unnecessarily impeding legitimate business processes. This aligns with the COBIT 5 principle of balancing benefits, risk, and resource optimization.
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.
- ✗
Postpone security decisions to later phases
Why it's wrong here
Delaying security decisions can lead to costly rework and may introduce security gaps that are harder to fix later.
- ✗
Let the project team decide based on development ease
Why it's wrong here
The project team may not have the authority or perspective to make such strategic decisions; stakeholder input is essential.
- ✓
Conduct a risk assessment to balance security and usability
Why this is correct
A risk assessment identifies and evaluates threats, allowing the organization to make a balanced decision that aligns security controls with business needs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Implement all security controls regardless of convenience
Why it's wrong here
This approach may lead to user resistance and reduced productivity, and does not consider the actual risk level.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose Option A, mistakenly believing that security can be 'bolted on' later, but CISA emphasizes that security must be integrated from the requirements phase to avoid costly redesigns and compliance violations.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A risk assessment in this context typically follows NIST SP 800-30 or ISO 27005, involving asset identification (e.g., customer PII, transaction logs), threat modeling (e.g., STRIDE for financial modules), and control selection based on risk appetite. For example, a financial system might require multi-factor authentication (MFA) for high-value transfers but allow single sign-on (SSO) for read-only reports, balancing security with usability. Real-world scenarios like the 2017 Equifax breach underscore how delayed security decisions (Option A) can lead to catastrophic data loss.
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.
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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: Conduct a risk assessment to balance security and usability — Option C is correct because a risk assessment provides a structured, evidence-based framework for balancing security controls against user convenience during requirements gathering. By evaluating the likelihood and impact of threats specific to financial systems (e.g., transaction fraud, data breaches) against usability needs, the organization can prioritize controls that mitigate high-risk exposures without unnecessarily impeding legitimate business processes. This aligns with the COBIT 5 principle of balancing benefits, risk, and resource optimization.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 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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