Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) Exam: Hot Site Effectiveness Audit

Hot Site Effectiveness Audit

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Question

An IS auditor auditing the effectiveness of utilizing a hot site will MOST likely:

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A. B. C. D.

D.

The effectiveness of utilizing a hot site is an important aspect of disaster recovery planning. A hot site is a fully equipped data center that can be activated quickly in the event of a disaster. When auditing the effectiveness of a hot site, an IS auditor should primarily focus on the ability of the hot site to restore critical systems and data to normal operations as quickly as possible.

Out of the four given options, the most likely area of focus for the IS auditor when auditing the effectiveness of utilizing a hot site is option D, which is to analyze system restoration procedures. This is because the ability to restore systems and data to normal operations is the main objective of having a hot site in place.

Analyzing system restoration procedures would involve a review of the processes and procedures that are in place to restore systems and data after a disaster has occurred. The auditor would evaluate the effectiveness of the procedures and identify any weaknesses that may exist. For example, the auditor may evaluate whether the restoration procedures have been tested, whether they are up-to-date, and whether they are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in the organization's IT environment.

While reciprocal agreements (option A) and logical access controls (option B) may also be important considerations in disaster recovery planning, they are less directly related to the effectiveness of a hot site. Reciprocal agreements are agreements between organizations to provide each other with backup support in the event of a disaster. Logical access controls, on the other hand, are designed to prevent unauthorized access to systems and data. While these controls are important, they are not the primary focus of auditing the effectiveness of a hot site.

Similarly, while physical access controls (option C) may also be important in disaster recovery planning, they are not the primary focus of auditing the effectiveness of a hot site. Physical access controls are designed to prevent unauthorized physical access to the data center. While these controls are important, they are not directly related to the ability of the hot site to restore critical systems and data to normal operations.

In conclusion, when auditing the effectiveness of utilizing a hot site, an IS auditor should primarily focus on the ability of the hot site to restore critical systems and data to normal operations as quickly as possible. Therefore, the most likely area of focus for the IS auditor when auditing the effectiveness of utilizing a hot site is to analyze system restoration procedures.