The answer is that unauthorized access may be granted and persist, which is the most significant risk of incomplete access reviews. Without regular reviews, excessive or inappropriate permissions remain undetected, creating a direct pathway for data breaches or insider threats. On the CISA exam, this question tests your understanding that access reviews are a detective control; the primary risk is not the audit finding itself but the unchecked exposure that accumulates over time. A common trap is choosing “audit findings will be reported,” which confuses a procedural outcome with the core security risk. Remember the memory tip: “Permissions left unchecked are breaches waiting to happen.”
CISA Governance and Management of IT Practice Question
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of governance and management of it. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
Access Control Policy (Excerpt):
- All system access requests must be approved by the data owner.
- Access reviews must be performed quarterly.
- Non-compliant access will be revoked within 24 hours of detection.
An auditor finds that access reviews have not been completed for two quarters. What is the MOST significant risk?
Refer to the exhibit.
Access Control Policy (Excerpt):
- All system access requests must be approved by the data owner.
- Access reviews must be performed quarterly.
- Non-compliant access will be revoked within 24 hours of detection.
A
Data integrity may be compromised
Why wrong: Incorrect. Integrity risk is secondary to unauthorized access.
B
Unauthorized access may be granted and persist
Correct. Incomplete reviews allow inappropriate access to continue.
C
System performance may degrade
Why wrong: Incorrect. Unrelated to access reviews.
D
Audit findings may be reported to management
Why wrong: Incorrect. Reporting is a outcome, not the primary risk.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Unauthorized access may be granted and persist
Option A is correct because without regular reviews, unauthorized or inappropriate access may go undetected, increasing the risk of data breaches. Option B is incorrect because while audit findings will be reported, that is a consequence, not the primary risk. Option C is incorrect as system performance is unrelated. Option D is incorrect because data integrity may be at risk but is less direct than unauthorized access.
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.
✗
Data integrity may be compromised
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Integrity risk is secondary to unauthorized access.
✓
Unauthorized access may be granted and persist
Why this is correct
Correct. Incomplete reviews allow inappropriate access to continue.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
System performance may degrade
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Unrelated to access reviews.
✗
Audit findings may be reported to management
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Reporting is a outcome, not the primary risk.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 CISA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Governance and Management of IT — This question tests Governance and Management of IT — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Unauthorized access may be granted and persist — Option A is correct because without regular reviews, unauthorized or inappropriate access may go undetected, increasing the risk of data breaches. Option B is incorrect because while audit findings will be reported, that is a consequence, not the primary risk. Option C is incorrect as system performance is unrelated. Option D is incorrect because data integrity may be at risk but is less direct than unauthorized access.
What should I do if I get this CISA question wrong?
Identify which CISA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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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