Free PECB ISO-IEC-27001-Lead-Auditor Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 6

The correct statement which defines the content of the scope of the ISMS is that the ISMS scope should take any information security issues that have occurred and any interested parties’ requirements into consideration. According to ISO/IEC 27001:2022, the scope of the ISMS should be determined by considering the internal and external issues, the requirements and expectations of interested parties, the interfaces and dependencies between the organisation and other parties, and the information security risks. The scope of the ISMS should also be aligned with the strategic direction of the organisation and be appropriate to its purpose and context. The scope of the ISMS should not be limited by the government’s recommendation, nor exclude external service providers, nor be based on a single department or function, unless these are justified by the risk assessment and the needs and expectations of interested parties. References: = ISO/IEC 27001:2022, clause 4.3; PECB Candidate Handbook ISO 27001 Lead Auditor, page 15; ISO 27001 scope statement | How to set the scope of your ISMS - Advisera.

The correct options are:

• There is a nonconformity (NC). The organisation’s access control arrangements are not operating effectively as an individual who is no longer employed by the organisation is being permitted to access the nursing home’s ICT systems. This does not conform with control A.5.15. (B): This option is correct because control A.5.15 requires the organization to implement secure log-on procedures and manage user access rights. The organization should ensure that only authorized users can access the ICT systems and that the access rights are revoked or modified when the user status changes. The fact that Scott, who resigned 9 months ago, still has an active account on the SCM and can check out the source code, indicates a failure of the access control arrangements and a nonconformity with the control A.5.15.
• There is a nonconformity (NC). The IT Security manager did not make sure the user account for Scott was removed from the SCM and did not complete the user deregistration process after the resignation. This does not conform with clause 9.1 and control A.5.15. ©: This option is correct because clause 9.1 requires the organization to monitor, measure, analyze, and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the ISMS. The organization should have processes and indicators to verify that the ISMS requirements and objectives are met and that the ISMS is continually improved. The organization should also ensure that the results of the monitoring and measurement are documented and communicated. The fact that the IT Security manager did not follow the user de-registration procedure and did not document or communicate the exception for Scott, indicates a failure of the monitoring and measurement processes and a nonconformity with clause 9.1 and control A.5.15.
• There is a nonconformity (NC). The organisation has failed to identify the security risks associated with leaving Scott’s account open when he was only re-engaged for a short period monthly. This does not conform with clause 8.2. (F): This option is correct because clause 8.2 requires the organization to establish and maintain an information security risk management process. The organization should identify the information security risks, analyze and evaluate the risks, and treat the risks according to the risk criteria and the risk treatment options. The organization should also monitor and review the risks and the risk treatment plan periodically and document the results. The fact that the organization did not identify the security risks associated with Scott’s access to the SCM and the source code, such as unauthorized disclosure, modification, or deletion of the information, indicates a failure of the risk management process and a nonconformity with clause 8.2.

 According to ISO/IEC 27001:2022 clause 6.1, the organization must establish, implement and maintain an information security risk management process that includes the following activities:

• establishing and maintaining information security risk criteria;
• ensuring that repeated information security risk assessments produce consistent, valid and comparable results;
• identifying the information security risks;
• analyzing the information security risks;
• evaluating the information security risks;
• treating the information security risks;
• accepting the information security risks and the residual information security risks;
• communicating and consulting with stakeholders throughout the process;
• monitoring and reviewing the information security risks and the risk treatment plan.

According to control A.5.29, the organization must establish, document, implement and maintain processes, procedures and controls to ensure the required level of continuity for information security during a disruptive situation. The organization must also:

• determine its requirements for information security and the continuity of information security management in adverse situations, e.g. during a crisis or disaster;
• establish, document, implement and maintain processes, procedures and controls to ensure the required level of continuity for information security during an adverse situation;
• verify the availability of information processing facilities.

Therefore, the following options will not be in your audit trail, as they are not relevant to the information security risk management process or the information security continuity process:

• E. Collect more evidence on how the organisation makes sure all staff periodically conduct a positive Covid test (Relevant to control A.7.2). This is not relevant to the information security aspects of business continuity management, as it is related to the health and safety of the staff, not the protection of information assets. Control A.7.2 is about screening of personnel prior to employment, not during employment.
• G. Collect more evidence on how the organisation performs a business risk assessment to evaluate how fast the existing residents can be discharged from the nursing home. (Relevant to clause 6). This is not relevant to the information security aspects of business continuity management, as it is related to the operational and financial aspects of the business, not the identification and treatment of information security risks. Clause 6 is about the information security risk management process, not the business risk management process.
• H. Collect more evidence on what resources the organisation provides to support the staff working from home. (Relevant to clause 7.1). This is not relevant to the information security aspects of business continuity management, as it is related to the general provision of resources for the ISMS, not the specific processes, procedures and controls to ensure the continuity of information security during a disruptive situation. Clause 7.1 is about determining and providing the resources needed for the establishment, implementation, maintenance and continual improvement of the ISMS, not the resources needed for the staff working from home.

References:

• ISO/IEC 27001:2022, clauses 6.1, 7.1, and Annex A control A.5.29
• [PECB Candidate Handbook ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor], pages 14-15, 17, 22-23
• ISO 27001:2022 Annex A Control 5.29 - What’s New?
• ISO 22301 Business Continuity Management System

According to ISO/IEC 17021-1, which specifies the requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems, a certification body should ensure that its auditors are competent, impartial, and independent from the auditee organization2. Therefore, if a Management System Representative of a client organization asks for a specific auditor for the certification audit, the individual(s) managing the audit programme should respond in a way that does not compromise these principles or create any conflict of interest or undue influence2. Two possible ways to respond are to state that his request will be considered but may not be taken up, as there may be other factors that affect the auditor selection process; or to advise him that the audit team selection is a decision that the audit programme manager needs to make based on the resources available, such as auditor availability, competence, location, etc2. The other options are not suitable ways to respond in this situation. For example, advising him that his request can be accepted may raise doubts about the objectivity and credibility of the auditor and the certification body; suggesting that he chooses another certification body may imply that his request is unreasonable or unethical; and suggesting asking the certification body management to permit his request may suggest that there is room for negotiation or manipulation in auditor selection2. References: ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 - Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems – Part 1: Requirements

• A: Auditors approved for conducting onsite audits do require additional training for virtual audits to ensure they are competent in using the technology and tools required for conducting audits remotely12.
• E: The number of days assigned to a third-party audit is not determined by the auditee’s availability, but rather by factors such as the size and complexity of the organization, the scope of the audit, and the requirements of the certification body34.

References: The answers are verified based on the content and objectives of the ISMS ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor course, as well as the guidelines provided in the reference materials and documents related to the course.

Yes, Jack should communicate such situations to the certification body. It is essential for auditors to report potential nonconformities and ethical breaches to the certification body to maintain the integrity and credibility of the audit process, without necessarily informing top management of these steps.

References: ISO 19011:2018, Guidelines for auditing management systems

According to ISO/IEC 27001:2022, which specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an information security management system (ISMS), clause 8.1 requires an organization to plan, implement and control its processes needed to meet ISMS requirements2. This includes determining what needs to be done, how it will be done, who will do it, when it will be done, what resources are required, how performance will be evaluated, etc2. Therefore, if an ISMS auditor conducting a third-party surveillance audit of a telecom’s provider notes that there has been a significant increase in the number of switches failing their initial configuration test and being returned for reprogramming due to a recent ISMS upgrade that reduced access to work instructions, this indicates a nonconformity against clause 8.1 of ISO/IEC 27001:2022. The organization has failed to plan and control its operational processes effectively to ensure information security and quality2. The other options are not correct clauses to raise a nonconformity against based solely on this information. For example, clause 7.5 deals with documented information required by ISMS or determined by an organization as necessary for its effectiveness2, but it does not specify how many copies or formats of work instructions should be available; clause 10.2 deals with nonconformity and corrective action as a response to an identified problem or incident2, but it does not address how to prevent or avoid such problems or incidents in operational processes; clause 7.3 deals with awareness of ISMS policy, objectives, roles and responsibilities among persons doing work under an organization’s control2, but it does not relate to how work instructions are accessed or followed; clause 7.2 deals with competence of persons doing work under an organization’s control that affects its ISMS performance2, but it does not imply that lack of competence is caused by insufficient work instructions; clause 7.4 deals with communication about ISMS among internal and external interested parties2, but it does not cover how operational information is communicated within an organization. References: ISO/IEC 27001:2022 - Information technology – Security techniques – Information security management systems – Requirements

According to ISO/IEC 27001:2022, which specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an information security management system (ISMS), clause 4.1 requires an organization to determine external and internal issues that are relevant to its purpose and that affect its ability to achieve the intended outcomes of its ISMS2. External issues are those that originate from outside the organization, such as legal, regulatory, cultural, social, political, economic, natural and competitive factors2. Internal issues are those that originate from within the organization, such as governance, structure, roles and responsibilities, policies, objectives, culture, capabilities, resources and information systems2. Therefore, based on this definition, four examples of external issues in the context of a management system to ISO/IEC 27001:2022 are a rise in interest rates in response to high inflation (which affects the economic environment of the organization), a reduction in grants as a result of a change in government policy (which affects the political and legal environment of the organization), higher labour costs as a result of an aging population (which affects the social and demographic environment of the organization), and inability to source raw materials due to government sanctions (which affects the trade and supply environment of the organization)2. The other options are examples of internal issues, as they originate from within the organization or its activities. For example, poor levels of staff competence as a result of cuts in training expenditure (which affects the capabilities and resources of the organization), increased absenteeism as a result of poor management (which affects the culture and performance of the organization), poor morale as a result of staff holidays being reduced (which affects the motivation and satisfaction of the organization’s personnel), and a fall in productivity linked to outdated production equipment (which affects the efficiency and quality of the organization’s processes)2. References: ISO/IEC 27001:2022 - Information technology – Security techniques – Information security management systems – Requirements

The auditor should consider "audit risks" when determining the "audit objectives." Understanding the risks associated with the audit helps define the objectives clearly, ensuring that the audit focuses on the most significant areas of concern, aligns with the audit scope, and adequately addresses the risks identified.

References: ISO 19011:2018, Guidelines for auditing management systems

The main purpose of a Stage 1 third-party audit is to determine readiness for a Stage 2 audit. A Stage 1 audit is a preliminary assessment that evaluates the organization’s ISMS documentation, scope, context, and objectives, and identifies any major gaps or nonconformities that need to be addressed before the Stage 2 audit. A Stage 1 audit does not introduce the audit team to the client, as this is done during the audit planning phase. A Stage 1 audit does not check for legal compliance by the organization, as this is done during the Stage 2 audit. A Stage 1 audit does not prepare an independent audit report, as this is done after the Stage 2 audit. References: : CQI & IRCA ISO 27001:2022 Lead Auditor Course Handbook, page 70. : ISO/IEC 27001 LEAD AUDITOR - PECB, page 23.