Actual Tests - Pass Any Time Flashcards
IS management has decided to rewrite a legacy customer relations system using fourth generation languages (4GLs). Which of the following risks is MOST often associated with system development using 4GLs?
A. Inadequate screen/report design facilities
B. Complex programming language subsets
C. Lack of portability across operating systems
D. Inability to perform data intensive operations
D. Inability to perform data intensive operations
4GLs are usually not suitable for data intensive operations. Instead, they are used mainly for graphic user interface (GUI) design or as simple query/report generators.
Which of the following would be the BEST method for ensuring that critical fields in a master record have been updated properly?
A. Field checks
B. Control totals
C. Reasonableness checks
D. A before-and-after maintenance report
D. A before-and-after maintenance report
A before-and-after maintenance report is the best answer because a visual review would provide the most positive verification that updating was proper.
Which of the following is a dynamic analysis tool for the purpose of testing software modules?
A. Blackbox test
B. Desk checking
C. Structured walk-through
D. Design and code
A. Blackbox test
A blackbox test is a dynamic analysis tool for testing software modules. During the testing of software modules a blackbox test works first in a cohesive manner as one single unit/entity, consisting of numerous modules and second, with the user data that flows across software modules. In some cases, this even drives the software behavior.
Which of the following is MOST likely to result from a business process reengineering (BPR) project?
A. An increased number of people using technology
B. Significant cost savings, through a reduction in the complexity of information technology
C. A weaker organizational structures and less accountability
D. Increased information protection (IP) risk will increase
A. An increased number of people using technology
A BPR project more often leads to an increased number of people using technology, and this would be a cause for concern. Incorrect answers:
B. As BPR is often technology oriented, and this technology is usually more complex and volatile than in the past, cost savings do not often materialize in this areA.
D. There is no reason for IP to conflict with a BPR project, unless the project is not run properly.
Which of the following devices extends the network and has the capacity to store frames and act as a storage and forward device?
A. Router
B. Bridge
C. Repeater
D. Gateway
B. Bridge
A bridge connects two separate networks to form a logical network (e.g., joining an ethernet and token network) and has the storage capacity to store frames and act as a storage and forward device. Bridges operate at the OSI data link layer by examining the media access control header of a data packet.
Which of the following is a benefit of using callback devices?
A. Provide an audit trail
B. Can be used in a switchboard environment
C. Permit unlimited user mobility
D. Allow call forwarding
A. Provide an audit trail
A callback feature hooks into the access control software and logs all authorized and unauthorized access attempts, permitting the follow-up and further review of potential breaches. Call forwarding (choice D) is a means of potentially bypassing callback control. By dialing through an authorized phone number from an unauthorized phone number, a perpetrator can gain computer access. This vulnerability can be controlled through callback systems that are available.
A call-back system requires that a user with an id and password call a remote server through a dial-up line, then the server disconnects and:
A. dials back to the user machine based on the user id and password using a telephone number from its database.
B. dials back to the user machine based on the user id and password using a telephone number provided by the user during this connection.
C. waits for a redial back from the user machine for reconfirmation and then verifies the user id and password using its database.
D. waits for a redial back from the user machine for reconfirmation and then verifies the user id and password using the sender’s database.
A. dials back to the user machine based on the user id and password using a telephone number from its database.
A call-back system in a net centric environment would mean that a user with an id and password calls a remote server through a dial-up line first, and then the server disconnects and dials back to the user machine based on the user id and password using a telephone number from its database. Although the server can depend upon its own database, it cannot know the authenticity of the dialer when the user dials again. The server cannot depend upon the sender’s database to dial back as the same could be manipulated.
Structured programming is BEST described as a technique that:
A. provides knowledge of program functions to other programmers via peer reviews.
B. reduces the maintenance time of programs by the use of small-scale program modules.
C. makes the readable coding reflect as closely as possible the dynamic execution of the program.
D. controls the coding and testing of the high-level functions of the program in the development process.
B. reduces the maintenance time of programs by the use of small-scale program modules.
A characteristic of structured programming is smaller, workable units. Structured programming has evolved because smaller, workable units are easier to maintain. Structured programming is a style of programming which restricts the kinds of control structures. This limitation is not crippling. Any program can be written with allowed control structures. Structured programming is sometimes referred to as go-to-less programming, since a go-to statement is not allowed. This is perhaps the most well known restriction of the style, since go-to statements were common at the time structured programming was becoming more popular. Statement labels also become unnecessary, except in languages where subroutines are identified by labels.
Which of the following data validation edits is effective in detecting transposition and transcription errors?
A. Range check
B. Check digit
C. Validity check
D. Duplicate check
B. Check digit
A check digit is a numeric value that is calculated mathematically and is appended to data to ensure that the original data have not been altered or an incorrect, but valid, value substituted. This control is effective in detecting transposition and transcription errors.
An offsite information processing facility having electrical wiring, air conditioning and flooring, but no computer or communications equipment is a:
A. cold site.
B. warm site.
C. dial-up site.
D. duplicate processing facility.
A. cold site.
A cold site is ready to receive equipment but does not offer any components at the site in advance of the need.
A number of system failures are occurring when corrections to previously detected errors are resubmitted for acceptance testing. This would indicate that the maintenance team is probably not adequately performing which of the following types of testing?
A. Unit testing
B. Integration testing
C. Design walk-throughs
D. Configuration management
B. Integration testing
A common system maintenance problem is that errors are often corrected quickly (especially when deadlines are tight), units are tested by the programmer, and then transferred to the acceptance test areA. This often results in system problems that should have been detected during integration or system testing. Integration testing aims at ensuring that the major components of the system interface correctly.
In an EDI process, the device which transmits and receives electronic documents is the:
A. communications handler.
B. EDI translator.
C. application interface.
D. EDI interface.
A. communications handler.
A communications handler transmits and receives electronic documents between trading partners and/or wide area networks (WANs).
The MOST significant level of effort for business continuity planning (BCP) generally is required during the:
A. testing stage.
B. evaluation stage.
C. maintenance stage.
D. early stages of planning.
D. early stages of planning.
Company.com in the early stages of a BCP will incur the most significant level of program development effort, which will level out as the BCP moves into maintenance, testing and evaluation stages. It is during the planning stage that an IS auditor will play an important role in obtaining senior management’s commitment to resources and assignment of BCP responsibilities.
Which of the following network configuration options contains a direct link between any two host machines?
A. Bus
B. Ring
C. Star
D. Completely connected (mesh)
D. Completely connected (mesh)
A completely connected mesh configuration creates a direct link between any two host machines.
Which of the following types of data validation editing checks is used to determine if a field contains data, and not zeros or blanks?
A. Check digit
B. Existence check
C. Completeness check
D. Reasonableness check
C. Completeness check
A completeness check is used to determine if a field contains data and not zeros or blanks.
Which of the following tests is an IS auditor performing when a sample of programs is selected to determine if the source and object versions are the same?
A. A substantive test of program library controls
B. A compliance test of program library controls
C. A compliance test of the program compiler controls
D. A substantive test of the program compiler controls
B. A compliance test of program library controls
compliance test determines if controls are operating as designed and are being applied in a manner that complies with management policies and procedures. For example, if the IS auditor is concerned whether program library controls are working properly, the IS auditor might select a sample of programs to determine if the source and object versions are the same. In other words, the broad objective of any compliance test is to provide auditors with reasonable assurance that a particular control on which the auditor plans to rely is operating as the auditor perceived it in the preliminary evaluation.