Isaca Updated CISA Exam Questions and Answers by jeremy

The best reason for an IS auditor to emphasize to management the importance of using an IT governance framework is that frameworks can be tailored and optimized for different organizations. An IT governance framework is a set of principles, guidelines, and processes that help an organization align its IT strategy with its business goals, manage IT risks and performance, and deliver value from IT investments. An IT governance framework can be adapted and customized to suit the specific needs, context, and culture of each organization, taking into account factors such as size, industry, maturity, objectives, and stakeholders. An IT governance framework can also help an organization adopt best practices and standards from various sources, such as COBIT2, ITIL3, ISO/IEC 200004, and others.

The other options are not as good as option B, as they may not capture the full scope or benefits of using an IT governance framework. Frameworks enable IT benchmarks against competitors, but this is not the main purpose or advantage of using an IT governance framework. Frameworks help facilitate control self-assessments (CSAs), but this is only one aspect or tool of an IT governance framework. Frameworks help organizations understand and manage IT risk, but this is also only one outcome or objective of an IT governance framework.

References:

1: What is ITIL? Your guide to the IT Infrastructure Library | CIO

2: IT Governance Framework | Components | Framework | Terminology - EDUCBA

3: IT Governance: Definitions, Frameworks and Planning - ProjectManager

4: What Is IT Governance? - Definition from Techopedia

5: What is IT Governance? A formal way to align IT & business strategy | CIO

6: What Is IT Governance? - Definition from WhatIs.com

7: ISO/IEC 20000 Information Technology Service Management Systems Standard - ISO/IEC 20000 Portal

8: COBIT | Control Objectives for Information Technologies | ISACA

 The finding that should be of greatest concern to an IS auditor assessing the effectiveness of an organization’s vulnerability scanning program is that results are not reported to individuals with authority to ensure resolution. This indicates a lack of accountability and communication for vulnerability management, which may result in unresolved or delayed remediation of identified vulnerabilities. This may expose the organization to increased risk of cyberattacks or breaches. The other findings are also concerning, but not as much as this one, because they may affect the completeness, accuracy or timeliness of the vulnerability scanning process, but not necessarily its effectiveness. References:

ISACA, CISA Review Manual, 27th Edition, chapter 4, section 4.41

ISACA, COBIT 2019 Framework: Introduction and Methodology, section 3.2

Encryption is the process of transforming information into an unreadable form using a secret key, so that only authorized parties can access it. Encryption would protect the confidentiality of information sent in email messages, as it would prevent unauthorized parties from intercepting and reading the messages. Secure Hash Algorithm 1 (SHA-1) is a cryptographic hash function that produces a fixed-length output from an input. SHA-1 does not encrypt information, but rather verifies its integrity by detecting any changes or modifications. Digital signatures are electronic signatures that use encryption and hash functions to authenticate the identity of the sender and the integrity of the message. Digital signatures do not protect the confidentiality of information, but rather ensure its authenticity and non-repudiation. Digital certificates are electronic documents that contain the public key and identity information of an entity, such as a person, organization or device. Digital certificates are issued by trusted third parties called certificate authorities (CAs). Digital certificates do not protect the confidentiality of information, but rather enable secure communication and encryption by verifying the identity and public key of an entity. References:

: [Encryption Definition]

: [Secure Hash Algorithm 1 (SHA-1) Definition]

: [Digital Signature Definition]

: [Digital Certificate Definition]

The greatest advantage of vulnerability scanning over penetration testing is that the testing process can be automated to cover large groups of assets. Vulnerability scanning is an automated, high-level security test that reports its findings of known vulnerabilities in systems, networks, applications, and devices. Vulnerability scanning can be performed frequently, quickly, and efficiently to scan a large number of assets and identify potential weaknesses that need to be addressed. Vulnerability scanning can also help organizations comply with security standards and regulations, such as PCI DSS1.

The other options are not as advantageous as option D, as they may not reflect the true benefits or limitations of vulnerability scanning compared to penetration testing. The testing produces a lower number of false positive results, but this is not necessarily true, as vulnerability scanning may report vulnerabilities that are not exploitable or relevant in the context of the organization. Network bandwidth is utilized more efficiently, but this may not be a significant advantage, as vulnerability scanning may still consume considerable network resources depending on the scope and frequency of the scans. Custom-developed applications can be tested more accurately, but this is also not true, as vulnerability scanning may not be able to detect complex or unknown vulnerabilities that require manual analysis or exploitation.

References:

1: Vulnerability scanning vs penetration testing: What’s the difference? | TechRepublic

2: Vulnerability Scanning vs. Penetration Testing - Fortinet

3: Penetration Test Vs Vulnerability Scan | Digital Defense

4: Penetration Testing vs. Vulnerability Scanning: What’s the difference?

5: Penetration Testing vs. Vulnerability Scanning | Secureworks

6: PCI DSS Quick Reference Guide - PCI Security Standards Council