Exin CITM EXIN EPI Certified Information Technology Manager Exam Practice Test

Acompensating controlis an alternative control implemented when the preferred control cannot be applied due to constraints (e.g., technical, financial, or operational). According to frameworks likeCOBITorISO/IEC 27001, compensating controls provide equivalent or partial risk mitigation when the primary control is infeasible.

Deterrent controls (A) discourage violations, detective controls (C) identify incidents, and corrective controls (D) address issues after they occur. Only compensating control (B) fits the scenario of a second-best alternative due to constraints.

The most important reason for areference checkinvendor selectionis toindependently verify and validate a vendor’s claim(A). Reference checks involve contacting the vendor’s previous or current clients to confirm claims about performance, reliability, and service quality, ensuring the vendor can meet contractual obligations. This aligns withvendor management best practicesto mitigate risks by validating vendor credibility.

Verify products by other customers (B):Too narrow; reference checks focus on overall performance, not just products.

Obtain financial information (C):Financial data is obtained through financial due diligence, not reference checks.

Identify customers not mentioned (D):Not a primary goal; the focus is on validating provided references.

TheRecovery Point Objective (RPO)(D) inbusiness continuity planningdefines the maximum age of data (i.e., the amount of data loss acceptable) that can be tolerated in a disaster before recovery. It represents the time between the last backup and the point of failure, indicating potential data loss. For example, an RPO of 4 hours means up to 4 hours of data could be lost. According toISO 22301, RPO is critical for determining backup and replication strategies.

Maximum Time Allowed (MTA) (A):Not a standard term in business continuity.

Recovery Time Objective (RTO) (B):Defines the maximum downtime before recovery, not data loss.

Maximum Allowable Outage (MAO) (C):Refers to the maximum time a system can be unavailable, similar to RTO, not data loss.

The analysis identifiesinsufficient manpower(a staffing issue) andlack of skills(a capability issue) within the internal IT provider. These gaps correspond toorganizational(manpower, related to staffing and resource allocation) andtechnical(skills, related to expertise and technical capabilities) deficiencies (B).

Financial and organizational (A):Financial gaps (e.g., budget constraints) are not mentioned in the scenario.

Financial and technical (C):Financial issues are not indicated; the focus is on manpower and skills.

According tovendor management frameworks, identifying gaps in internal capabilities (e.g., staffing and technical expertise) justifies outsourcing to a vendor to fill these deficiencies.

Theproject charter(or project brief) is a high-level document created during theinitiation phaseof a project, as defined byPMBOK(Project Management Body of Knowledge). It outlines the project’s purpose, objectives, scope, and key elements but does not includedetailed planning(A), which occurs during the planning phase after the charter is approved. The charter typically includes:

High-level risks (B):Identifies major risks to provide early awareness.

Summary budget (C):Provides an initial cost estimate for approval.

Quality expectations (D):Defines high-level quality requirements or standards.

Detailed planning, such as creating a detailed Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) or schedule, is part of the project management plan developed later, not the charter.

The correct sequence for arisk assessment, as perISO 31000andISO/IEC 27001, is:Establish context — identify — analyse — evaluate — treatment(C).

Establish context:Define the scope, objectives, and criteria for the risk assessment (e.g., organizational goals, assets, and risk appetite).

Identify:Identify potential risks (e.g., threats and vulnerabilities) that could impact objectives.

Analyse:Assess the likelihood and impact of identified risks to determine their severity.

Evaluate:Compare risks against risk criteria to prioritize them for treatment.

Treatment:Implement controls or strategies to mitigate, avoid, transfer, or accept risks.

Option A:Incorrect, as “monitor and review” is a post-treatment step, not the starting point.

Option B:Incorrect, as “communication” is not a distinct step in risk assessment; it’s embedded throughout.

Option D:Incorrect, as it skips “establish context,” which is essential for defining the assessment’s scope.

This sequence ensures a structured, systematic approach to risk assessment, aligning with organizational objectives.

Security awareness programs require ongoing engagement to remain effective. If security incidents decrease initially but increase after eight months, the most likely cause is thatmessage materials are few and static, and renewal is not taking place(C). Static content becomes outdated or ignored over time, reducing its impact. Regular updates, new campaigns, and varied delivery methods (e.g., videos, quizzes) are essential to maintain employee awareness and adapt to evolving threats, as perISO/IEC 27001orNISTsecurity awareness guidelines.

Insufficient budget (A):While budget constraints could limit program scope, there’s no evidence in the scenario to suggest this is the primary issue.

Scope too narrow (B):A narrow scope might limit effectiveness initially, but the initial success suggests the scope was adequate; the issue is sustaining engagement.

Lack of resources for instructor-led sessions (D):Instructor-led sessions are one delivery method, but the core issue is likely outdated content rather than delivery format.

The customer’s focus on incorporatingfuture functional requirementsindicates a need forperfective maintenance(B). Inapplication management, perfective maintenance involves enhancing software to add new features or improve functionality to meet evolving business needs, such as adding new modules or capabilities.

Preventive maintenance (A):Focuses on preventing issues by optimizing performance or addressing potential problems, not adding new features.

Corrective maintenance (C):Involves fixing bugs or errors, not incorporating new functionality.

Adaptive maintenance (D):Adapts software to environmental changes (e.g., new operating systems), not specifically for new functional requirements.

Perfective maintenance aligns with theSDLC’s maintenance phase, ensuring the software evolves to support future business requirements.

To reduce the risk of fraud in large financial transactions, the security principle ofintegrity(C) requires the highest attention.Integrity, as perISO/IEC 27001’s CIA triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability), ensures that data is accurate, complete, and unaltered. Fraud often involves manipulating transaction data, so controls like data validation, checksums, or audit trails are critical to maintain integrity and prevent unauthorized changes.

Confidentiality (A):Protects data from unauthorized access, less directly related to fraud prevention.

Availability (B):Ensures system access, not the primary concern for fraud.

Reliability (D):Not a standard CIA triad principle; may relate to system performance but not fraud.

Reviewing anIT service catalog, as perITILservice asset and configuration management, focuses on ensuring services align with business needs and compliance requirements. Key criteria include:

Retiring services (A):Assessing whether services are outdated or no longer needed is critical.

New laws, codes, or regulations (B):Compliance with legal or regulatory changes is essential to avoid penalties.

Service relevance and appropriateness (D):Ensures services meet current business objectives and user needs.

Changes in the IT service provider organization (C), such as internal restructuring or staffing changes, are not typically a direct criterion for service catalog review, as the catalog focuses on services offered, not the provider’s internal operations.

To predict future customer purchases, the marketing department requiresadvanced analytics(B), which involves sophisticated data analysis techniques, such as predictive modeling, machine learning, and data mining. These technologies enable the department to analyze customer behavior, identify patterns, and forecast purchasing trends, supporting targeted advertising campaigns.

Records Management System (RMS) (A):Focuses on managing and storing records, not predictive analysis.

Ad hoc analysis (C):Allows for on-demand, one-off queries but lacks the predictive capabilities of advanced analytics.

Business Intelligence (BI) (D):Provides reporting and historical data analysis but is less focused on predictive modeling compared to advanced analytics.

Advanced analytics aligns withIT strategygoals of leveraging data for competitive advantage, as it supports predictive insights critical for marketing decisions.

Team members’ lack of awareness or understanding of their responsibilities points to a failure incommunication management(C). According toPMBOK, communication management ensures that project information, including roles, responsibilities, and activities, is effectively communicated to all stakeholders. Poor communication planning or execution (e.g., unclear task assignments or inadequate briefings) can lead to misunderstandings, as seen in this scenario.

Risk management (A):Focuses on identifying and mitigating risks, not task communication.

Cost management (B):Deals with budgeting and cost control, not role clarification.

Scope management (D):Defines project scope and deliverables, but communication management ensures team members understand their responsibilities within that scope.

In corporate hiring protocols,additional screeningtypically refers to background checks beyond basic qualifications, such as verifying a candidate’scriminal record. This is critical for IT roles, where employees may have access to sensitive systems and data, ensuring trustworthiness and compliance with security policies.

Salary demands (A) are negotiated during the hiring process, not screened. Number of years of experience (B) and educational level (D) are verified through resumes and standard checks, not typically classified as “additional screening,” which focuses on security-related checks like criminal records.

Afirewallis categorized as atechnical preventive control(A) ininformation security management. According toISO/IEC 27001, preventive controls aim to stop security incidents before they occur, and technical controls involve technology-based solutions. A firewall prevents unauthorized access to the network perimeter by filtering traffic, making it a technical preventive control.

Physical detective control (B):Involves physical measures (e.g., cameras) to detect incidents, not applicable to firewalls.

Administrative deterrent control (C):Involves policies or procedures to discourage violations, not technology-based.

Physical corrective control (D):Addresses physical issues post-incident, not relevant to firewalls.

Requests for password resets from unknown individuals suggestsocial engineeringattacks, such as phishing or impersonation, where attackers manipulate users to gain unauthorized access. An information security awareness program should focus on educating staff about social engineering tactics to recognize and prevent such incidents.

E-mail usage (A), instant messaging (B), and internet usage (C) may be vectors for attacks, but the core issue is social engineering, which encompasses tactics used across these channels.