Free Isaca CGEIT Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 9

According to the web search results, a SaaS contract is a legal agreement between a SaaS provider and a customer that defines the terms and conditions of using the SaaS solution, such as the scope, duration, price, service level, data ownership, security, privacy, compliance, etc. The most effective way to reduce the risk associated with the SaaS solution is to include risk-related requirements in the SaaS contract, such as the following12:

The SaaS provider should comply with the relevant laws and regulations that apply to the customer’s industry and location, such as GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, etc.

The SaaS provider should implement adequate security measures and controls to protect the customer’s data from unauthorized access, modification, disclosure or loss, such as encryption, authentication, authorization, backup, etc.

The SaaS provider should provide regular reports and audits on the security and performance of the SaaS solution, as well as notify the customer of any security incidents or breaches that may affect the customer’s data.

The SaaS provider should guarantee a certain level of availability and reliability of the SaaS solution, and specify the remedies or penalties for any service downtime or disruption.

The SaaS provider should allow the customer to access, export, delete or transfer their data at any time, and ensure that the data are erased or returned to the customer upon termination of the contract.

The SaaS provider should indemnify and hold harmless the customer from any claims, damages or liabilities arising from the use of the SaaS solution.

Including risk-related requirements in the SaaS contract will help to clarify the roles and responsibilities of both parties, as well as to establish trust and accountability between them. It will also help to mitigate the potential risks and challenges of using a hosted SaaS solution34, such as data loss, unauthorized access, compliance violations, service outages, vendor lock-in, etc. The other options are not as effective as including risk-related requirements in the SaaS contract, as they do not address the contractual and legal aspects of using a hosted SaaS solution.

Evaluating whether the vendor’s BCP aligns with the enterprise’s BCP is the most important consideration when selecting a vendor to provide services associated with a critical application, because it helps to ensure that the vendor can meet the service level agreements (SLAs) and recovery objectives of the enterprise in the event of a disruption or disaster. A BCP is a plan that defines how an organization will continue its critical business processes and functions during and after a crisis1. A vendor’s BCP should be compatible and consistent with the enterprise’s BCP, and should address the specific risks, impacts, and requirements of the service provision2. Evaluating whether the vendor’s BCP aligns with the enterprise’s BCP helps to avoid any gaps, conflicts, or issues that could affect the availability, performance, and quality of the service, and to ensure that the vendor can restore the service within an acceptable time frame3. Evaluating whether the vendor’s BCP aligns with the enterprise’s BCP also helps to comply with the regulatory and contractual obligations, and to protect the reputation and value of the enterprise4.

References := Business Continuity Planning (BCP) Definition, Business Continuity Planning for Vendors: What You Need to Know, Vendor Business Continuity Plan: How to Ensure Your Vendors Are Prepared for Disasters, Business Continuity Planning for Vendors: 5 Steps to Success.

 Information retention policies are the most important to review, because they define the rules and procedures for retaining, disposing, and destroying information in accordance with the legal, regulatory, and business requirements. Information retention policies can help the enterprise to comply with the personal data protection regulations, and to ensure the privacy, security, and availability of the employee data in production systems12. References := ISACA, CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, 2019, page 57-58.

A cost-benefit analysis is a process that compares the costs and benefits of a decision or an action, such as outsourcing non-core IT processes. A cost-benefit analysis can help the enterprise evaluate the feasibility, profitability, and sustainability of outsourcing, as well as identify the potential risks and opportunities. A cost-benefit analysis can also help the enterprise determine the optimal level and scope of outsourcing, and select the most suitable outsourcing partner. A cost-benefit analysis should be the first step before issuing a formal request for proposal, establishing service level metrics, or updating resource allocation policies. References :=

The Outsourcing Handbook A guide to outsourcing - Deloitte United Kingdom, page 10

Five Tips For Outsourcing Business Processes Effectively In 2021 - Forbes

 An IT balanced scorecard (BSC) is a framework that measures and manages the performance and value of IT in relation to the enterprise’s strategy, goals, and objectives. An IT BSC provides the most comprehensive insight into the effectiveness of IT, because it covers four perspectives that reflect the key aspects of IT: financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth. For each perspective, an IT BSC defines objectives, measures, targets, and initiatives that align with the enterprise’s vision and mission. An IT BSC also helps to balance the short-term and long-term outcomes of IT, as well as the leading and lagging indicators of IT performance. According to ISACA’s article on The IT Balanced Scorecard1, “the IT BSC is a powerful tool for demonstrating the contribution of IT to the business, communicating IT performance in business terms, and aligning IT with business strategy.” Furthermore, according to ISACA’s CGEIT Domain 1: Framework for the Governance of Enterprise IT2, “the IT BSC is a widely used framework for measuring and managing the performance of IT resources in relation to enterprise goals.” Therefore, an IT BSC is the best way to provide a comprehensive insight into the effectiveness of IT.

The MOST concerning issue for the risk management committee when planning to migrate to cloud-based systems is regulatory compliance. Regulatory compliance refers to the discipline and process of ensuring that a company follows the laws enforced by governing bodies in their geography or rules required by voluntarily adopted industry standards1. For IT regulatory compliance, people and processes monitor corporate systems to detect and prevent violations ofpolicies and procedures established by these governing laws, regulations, and standards1. However, migrating to cloud-based systems can pose significant challenges and risks for regulatory compliance, such as23:

Data protection, privacy, and sovereignty issues, as cloud service providers may store or process data in different jurisdictions with different legal and regulatory frameworks

Loss of control and visibility over data and systems, as cloud service providers may have different security standards, policies, and practices than the enterprise

Shared responsibility and accountability for compliance, as cloud service providers and customers may have different roles and obligations for ensuring compliance

Complexity and variability of compliance requirements, as cloud service providers may offer different levels of compliance certifications and attestations for different services and regions

Therefore, regulatory compliance should be of most concern to the risk management committee when planning to migrate to cloud-based systems. The risk management committee should carefully assess the compliance requirements of the applicable legislation in both the home and host countries, as well as the compliance capabilities and assurances of the cloud service providers. The risk management committee should also establish appropriate controls and mechanisms to monitor and audit the compliance status and performance of the cloud-based systems.

An enterprise that has identified potential environmental disasters that could occur in the area where its data center is located should next assess the likelihood and impact on the data center, because this would help to evaluate the level of risk and prioritize the appropriate risk response strategies. The likelihood and impact assessment should consider the frequency, severity, duration, and scope of the potential disasters, and the potential consequences for the data center’s availability, integrity, confidentiality, and performance12. References := ISACA, CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, 2019, page 75-76.

A data classification policy is a set of rules and standards that define how data is categorized and labeled according to its sensitivity, value, and criticality for the organization1. An effective data classification policy helps to ensure that data is properly protected, accessed, and managed throughout its lifecycle2. The best way to support the implementation of an effective data classification policy is to have clear guidelines adopted by the business, because they provide a common understanding and framework for data owners, stewards, and users to classify and handle data according to the business context and requirements3. Clear guidelines also help to ensure consistency, compliance, and accountability for data classification across the organization4.

References :=

Data Classification Policy | Information Security Office

Data Governance and Classification Policy - University of Cincinnati

Data governance processes - Cloud Adoption Framework

Data classification in the Microsoft Purview governance portal

Classifying information using an agreed-upon schema is the best way to ensure the integrity of data when establishing an enterprise data model. A schema is a logical structure that defines how data is organized, stored, and accessed. By using a common schema across the enterprise, data can be standardized, validated, and integrated more easily and consistently. A schema also helps to avoid data duplication, inconsistency, and ambiguity, which can compromise data integrity. References: What Is an Enterprise Data Model? [+ Examples] - HubSpot Blog

Total cost of ownership (TCO) is the purchase price of an asset plus the costs of operation over its lifespan1. TCO includes hardware and software acquisition, management and support, communications, end-user expenses and the opportunity cost of downtime, training and other productivity losses2. By considering TCO in investment decisions, an enterprise can avoid unexpected costs and optimize the value of its IT assets3. A policy to consider TCO in investment decisions can help the enterprise to plan ahead for the lease or purchase of ITinfrastructure and software licenses, and avoid cost overruns due to lease extensions or other factors. References :=

CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 4: Value Optimization, Section 4.2: IT Value Delivery, Subsection 4.2.3: IT Resource Management, Page 123

CGEIT Review Manual (Print Version), Chapter 4: Value Optimization, Section 4.2: IT Value Delivery, Subsection 4.2.3: IT Resource Management, Page 123

How to Calculate Total Cost of Ownership for Software - GetApp4

Total Cost of Ownership: How It’s Calculated With Example - Investopedia1

This is because enterprise architecture (EA) is a practice that helps organizations align their IT systems and processes with their business objectives. EA provides a holistic and integrated viewof the current and future state of the organization’s IT infrastructure, as well as the gaps, issues, and opportunities for improvement1. By using EA, the organization can:

Identify and prioritize the IT investments that support the business strategy, goals, and needs1

Optimize the IT spending and maximize the IT value1

Ensure the IT quality, security, and compliance1

Avoid IT duplication, waste, and inefficiency1

Define IT roles and responsibilities and assign accountability1

EA can help the organization plan for the necessary IT investments in a systematic and structured way, and ensure that they are aligned with the business vision and value.

The other options, risk assessment report, business user satisfaction metrics, and audit findings are not as useful as enterprise architecture (EA) for planning for the necessary IT investments. They are more related to the evaluation and monitoring of the IT performance, rather than the planning and alignment of the IT strategy. They may also provide limited or partial information about the IT infrastructure, rather than a comprehensive and integrated view. They may also depend on external factors or standards that may not be relevant or applicable to the organization’s specific context and needs.

 The CTO should first understand the enterprise’s risk tolerance before assessing the impact of wearable technology. This will help the CTO to align the assessment with the enterprise’s objectives, culture, and appetite for risk. The other options are important steps in the assessment process, but they are not the first ones. Creating an IT risk scorecard and prioritizing wearable technology risk require a clear understanding of the enterprise’s risk tolerance, which is the basis for defining risk criteria and thresholds. References := ISACA, CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, Chapter 2: Strategic Management, Section 2.3: Risk Optimization, p. 63-64.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, in its Governance of Enterprise IT domain, addresses vendor management in regulated environments. Third-party audit reports provide independent verification that cloud vendors comply with stringent regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA), offering evidence of controls and certifications (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001). These reports are critical for due diligence. The manual likely references COBIT 2019’s APO10-Managed Vendors, which emphasizes third-party assurance for compliance.

Option A: Stage gate reviews are project management checkpoints, not vendor compliance tools.

Option B: Risk assessment evaluates risks but lacks independent verification.

Option C: Internal audit report assesses internal controls, not vendor compliance.

Double Verification: The answer aligns with COBIT’s APO10 and the CGEIT domain’s focus on vendor governance. Third-party audits are a standard ISACA requirement for vendor compliance.

ISACA CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, Domain 1: Governance of Enterprise IT (focus on vendor management).

COBIT 2019, APO10-Managed Vendors.

ISACA Glossary (for definitions of third-party audit), available at https://www.isaca.org/resources/glossary.

When determining the process for meeting an internal health organization's legal and regulatory obligations following a data breach, the most important consideration is the context of the breach, including data ownership and location. Understanding who owns the breached data and where it was stored or processed is crucial for determining jurisdictional and regulatory requirements. This context informs the organization's legal obligations, such as notification requirements and potential liabilities. While organizational structure, data classification, security policy, and details of the breach and incident response efforts are relevant, the context of the breach is paramount in guiding the legal and regulatory response.

The primary role of the governance function in enabling an enterprise to achieve its business objectives is to provide a means to effectively manage stakeholders. Stakeholders are the individuals or groups that have an interest or stake in the enterprise’s activities, outcomes, and performance. They include shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, regulators, and society at large. Effective stakeholder management involves identifying, engaging, communicating, and satisfying the needs and expectations of the stakeholders in a transparent and ethical manner. By providing a means to effectively manage stakeholders, the governance function can help the enterprise to align its vision, mission, strategy, and values with the stakeholder interests, foster trust and collaboration among the stakeholder groups, balance the economic and social goals and the individual and communal goals of the enterprise, and enhance the reputation and legitimacy of the enterprise in the market and society.

The other options are not as primary as providing a means to effectively manage stakeholders for the governance function. Determining risk thresholds that the enterprise can sustain is animportant aspect of the governance function, but it is not the primary role. Risk thresholds are the levels of risk exposure that the enterprise is willing to accept or tolerate in pursuit of its business objectives. They are derived from the enterprise’s risk appetite and risk tolerance statements, which reflect the enterprise’s culture, values, and strategy. The governance function can help to define, communicate, and monitor the risk thresholds that the enterprise can sustain, but this is not its primary role. Preparing business continuity and resiliency plans is a vital responsibility of the management function, not the governance function. Business continuity and resiliency plans are the documents that outline the processes and procedures for ensuring the continuity of critical business functions and operations in the event of a disruption or crisis. They also describe how the enterprise can recover from the disruption or crisis and resume normal operations as soon as possible. The governance function can oversee and approve the business continuity and resiliency plans prepared by the management function, but this is not its primary role. Monitoring strategic plans to reach the desired target state is a key activity of both the governance function and the management function, but it is not their primary role. Strategic plans are the documents that define the long-term goals and objectives of the enterprise and how they will be achieved. They also specify the resources, actions, measures, and timelines for implementing the strategy. The governance function can set the direction and scope of the strategic plans, while the management function can execute and report on them. Both functions can monitor the progress and performance of the strategic plans to reach the desired target state, but this is not their primary role. References := The five functions of governance – Project Manager, What is a Governance Structure? - ESG | The Report, Develop an effective governance structure | Australian Public Service …