chapter 2 | mcq

Question 1

All of the following are issues of computer security except
a. releasing incorrect data to authorized individuals
b. permitting computer operators unlimited access to the computer room
c. permitting access to data by unauthorized individuals
d. providing correct data to unauthorized individuals

Answer 1

b. permitting computer operators unlimited access to the computer room

Question 2

Segregation of duties in the computer-based information system includes
a. separating the programmer from the computer operator
b. preventing management override
c. separating the inventory process from the billing process
d. performing independent verifications by the computer operator

Answer 2

a. separating the programmer from the computer operator

Question 3

In a computer-based information system, which of the following duties needs to be separated? a. program coding from program operations
b. program operations from program maintenance
c. program maintenance from program coding
d. all of the above duties should be separated

Answer 3

d. all of the above duties should be separated

Question 4

Supervision in a computerized environment is more complex than in a manual environment for all of the following reasons except
a. rapid turnover of systems professionals complicates management’s task of assessing the
competence and honesty of prospective employees
b. many systems professionals have direct and unrestricted access to the organization’s
programs and data
c. rapid changes in technology make staffing the systems environment challenging
d. systems professionals and their supervisors work at the same physical location

Answer 4

d. systems professionals and their supervisors work at the same physical location

Question 5

Adequate backups will protect against all of the following except
a. natural disasters such as fires
b. unauthorized access
c. data corruption caused by program errors
d. system crashes

Answer 5

b. unauthorized access

Question 6

Which is the most critical segregation of duties in the centralized computer services function?
a. systems development from data processing
b. data operations from data librarian
c. data preparation from data control
d. data control from data librarian

Answer 6

a. systems development from data processing

Question 7

Systems development is separated from data processing activities because failure to do so
a. weakens database access security
b. allows programmers access to make unauthorized changes to applications during
execution
c. results in inadequate documentation
d. results in master files being inadvertently erased

Answer 7

b. allows programmers access to make unauthorized changes to applications during
execution

Question 8

Which organizational structure is most likely to result in good documentation procedures?
a. separate systems development from systems maintenance
b. separate systems analysis from application programming
c. separate systems development from data processing
d. separate database administrator from data processing

Answer 8

a. separate systems development from systems maintenance

Question 9

All of the following are control risks associated with the distributed data processing structure except
a. lack of separation of duties
b. system incompatibilities
c. system interdependency
d. lack of documentation standards

Answer 9

c. system interdependency

Question 10

Which of the following is not an essential feature of a disaster recovery plan?
a. off-site storage of backups
b. computer services function
c. second site backup
d. critical applications identified

Answer 10

b. computer services function

Question 11

A cold site backup approach is also known as
a. internally provided backup
b. recovery operations center
c. empty shell
d. mutual aid pact

Answer 11

c. empty shell

Question 12

The major disadvantage of an empty shell solution as a second site backup is
a. the host site may be unwilling to disrupt its processing needs to process the critical
applications of the disaster stricken company
b. intense competition for shell resources during a widespread disaster
c. maintenance of excess hardware capacity
d. the control of the shell site is an administrative drain on the company

Answer 12

b. intense competition for shell resources during a widespread disaster

Question 13

An advantage of a recovery operations center is that
a. this is an inexpensive solution
b. the initial recovery period is very quick
c. the company has sole control over the administration of the center
d. none of the above are advantages of the recovery operations center

Answer 13

b. the initial recovery period is very quick

Question 14

For most companies, which of the following is the least critical application for disaster recovery purposes?
a. month-end adjustments
b. accounts receivable
c. accounts payable
d. order entry/billing

Answer 14

a. month-end adjustments

Question 15

The least important item to store off-site in case of an emergency is
a. backups of systems software
b. backups of application software
c. documentation and blank forms
d. results of the latest test of the disaster recovery program

Answer 15

d. results of the latest test of the disaster recovery program

Question 16

Some companies separate systems analysis from programming/program maintenance. All of the following are control weaknesses that may occur with this organizational structure except
a. systems documentation is inadequate because of pressures to begin coding a new program
before documenting the current program
b. illegal lines of code are hidden among legitimate code and a fraud is covered up for a long
period of time
c. a new systems analyst has difficulty in understanding the logic of the program
d. inadequate systems documentation is prepared because this provides a sense of job
security to the programmer

Answer 16

c. a new systems analyst has difficulty in understanding the logic of the program

Question 17

All of the following are recommended features of a fire protection system for a computer center except
a. clearly marked exits
b. an elaborate water sprinkler system
c. manual fire extinguishers in strategic locations
d. automatic and manual alarms in strategic locations

Answer 17

b. an elaborate water sprinkler system

Question 18

All of the following tests of controls will provide evidence about the physical security of the computer center except
a. review of fire marshal records
b. review of the test of the backup power supply
c. verification of the second site backup location
d. observation of procedures surrounding visitor access to the computer center

Answer 18

c. verification of the second site backup location

Question 19

All of the following tests of controls will provide evidence about the adequacy of the disaster recovery plan except
a. inspection of the second site backup
b. analysis of the fire detection system at the primary site
c. review of the critical applications list
d. composition of the disaster recovery team

Answer 19

b. analysis of the fire detection system at the primary site

Question 20

The following are examples of commodity assets except
a. network management
b. systems operations
c. systems development
d. server maintenance

Answer 20

c. systems development

Question 21

The following are examples of specific assets except
a. application maintenance
b. data warehousing
c. highly skilled employees
d. server maintenance

Answer 21

d. server maintenance

Question 22

Which of the following is true?
a. Core competency theory argues that an organization should outsource specific core assets.
b. Core competency theory argues that an organization should focus exclusively on its core business
competencies
c. Core competency theory argues that an organization should not outsource specific commodity
assets.
d. Core competency theory argues that an organization should retain certain specific noncore assets
in-house.

Answer 22

b. Core competency theory argues that an organization should focus exclusively on its core business
competencies

Question 23

Which of the following is not true?
a. Large-scale IT outsourcing involves transferring specific assets to a vendor
b. Specific assets, while valuable to the client, are of little value to the vendor
c. Once an organization outsources its specific assets, it may not be able to return to its pre-outsource
state.
d. Specific assets are of value to vendors because, once acquired, vendors can achieve economies of
scale by employing them with other clients

Answer 23

d. Specific assets are of value to vendors because, once acquired, vendors can achieve economies of
scale by employing them with other clients

Question 24

Which of the following is not true?
a. When management outsources their organization’s IT functions, they also outsource responsibility
for internal control.
b. Once a client firm has outsourced specific IT assets, its performance becomes linked to the
vendor’s performance.
c. IT outsourcing may affect incongruence between a firm’s IT strategic planning and its business
planning functions.
d. The financial justification for IT outsourcing depends upon the vendor achieving economies of
scale.

Answer 24

a. When management outsources their organization’s IT functions, they also outsource responsibility
for internal control.

Question 25

Which of the following is not true?
a. Management may outsource their organizations’ IT functions, but they cannot outsource their
management responsibilities for internal control.
b. section 404 requires the explicit testing of outsourced controls.
c. The SAS 70 report, which is prepared by the outsourcer’s auditor, attests to the adequacy of the
vendor’s internal controls.
d. Auditors issue two types of SAS 70 reports: SAS 70 Type I report and SAS 70 Type II report.

Answer 25

c. The SAS 70 report, which is prepared by the outsourcer’s auditor, attests to the adequacy of the
vendor’s internal controls.

Question 26

Segregation of duties in the computer-based information system includes
a. separating the programmer from the computer operator
b. preventing management override
c. separating the inventory process from the billing process
d. performing independent verifications by the computer operator

Answer 26

a. separating the programmer from the computer operator

Question 27

A disadvantage of distributed data processing is
a. the increased time between job request and job completion.
b. the potential for hardware and software incompatibility among users.
c. the disruption caused when the mainframe goes down.
d. that users are not likely to be involved.

Answer 27

b. the potential for hardware and software incompatibility among users.

Question 28

Which of the following is NOT a control implication of distributed data processing?
a. redundancy
b. user satisfaction
c. incompatibility
d. lack of standards

Answer 28

b. user satisfaction

Question 29

Which of the following disaster recovery techniques may be least optimal in the case of a disaster?
a. empty shell
b. mutual aid pact
c. internally provided backup
d. they are all equally beneficial

Answer 29

b. mutual aid pact

Question 30

Which of the following is a feature of fault tolerance control?
a. interruptible power supplies
b. RAID
c. DDP
d. MDP

Answer 30

b. RAID

Question 31

Which of the following disaster recovery techniques is has the least risk associated with it?
a. empty shell
b. ROC
c. internally provided backup
d. they are all equally risky

Answer 31

c. internally provided backup

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT a potential threat to computer hardware and peripherals?
a. low humidity
b. high humidity
c. carbon dioxide fire extinguishers
d. water sprinkler fire extinguishers

Answer 32

c. carbon dioxide fire extinguishers

Question 33

Which of the following would strengthen organizational control over a large-scale data processing center?
a. Requiring the user departments to specify the general control standards necessary for processing transactions.
b. Requiring that requests and instructions for data processing services be submitted directly to the computer operator in the data center.
c. Having the database administrator report to the manager of computer operations.
d. Assigning maintenance responsibility to the original system designer who best knows its logic.

Answer 33

a. Requiring the user departments to specify the general control standards necessary for processing transactions.

Question 34

Which of the following is true?
a. Core competency theory argues that an organization should outsource specific core assets.
b. Core competency theory argues that an organization should focus exclusively on its core business competencies
c. Core competency theory argues that an organization should not outsource specific commodity
assets.
d. Core competency theory argues that an organization should retain certain specific non-core assets
in-house.

Answer 34

b. Core competency theory argues that an organization should focus exclusively on its core business competencies