ISACA Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) ExamDomain 4: Information Systems Operations and Business ResilienceMedium
An IS auditor is evaluating the organization's problem management process. The auditor finds that while incidents are well-documented and quickly resolved, there is a recurring pattern of similar incidents appearing across different departments and systems. However, these incidents are treated as new, separate events each time. What is the MOST critical weakness in the problem management process indicated by this finding?
- AIneffective incident logging and categorization.
- BLack of a robust knowledge base for known errors.
- CInsufficient training for help desk personnel.
- DAbsence of proactive problem identification and analysis.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Absence of proactive problem identification and analysis.
Problem management aims to identify and address the root causes of recurring incidents. If similar incidents are treated as new events without seeking common underlying causes, it indicates a failure in the proactive identification and analysis phase of problem management.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The stem states incidents are 'well-documented,' suggesting logging and categorization are functional, even if not fully leveraged.
- B. A knowledge base is crucial, but its absence is a symptom of not performing proactive analysis to identify and document known errors in the first place.
- C. While training is important, the core issue is the process itself failing to link and analyze recurring incidents, not merely help desk competence.
Proactive Problem Management
The process of identifying and preventing future incidents by analyzing trends, identifying underlying causes, and implementing preventative actions.
- Focuses on preventing incident recurrence.
- Analyzes incident data for patterns and trends.
- Develops workarounds and permanent solutions.
Memory trick: If problems keep popping, you're not digging deep enough.