Learn how to identify red flags in the change management process as an IS auditor. Discover the best indication of potential issues based on historical change ticket data.
Table of Contents
Question
An IS auditor is reviewing historical production change tickets. Which of the following is the BEST indication of potential concerns with the change management process?
A. A large number of canceled changes
B. A large number of emergency changes
C. A large number of rollback changes
D. A large number of high-impact changes
Answer
The best indication of potential concerns with the change management process is:
B. A large number of emergency changes
Explanation
A large volume of emergency changes is a red flag that the change management process may not be working effectively. Emergency changes bypass normal change control procedures and approvals in order to implement urgent fixes or updates, often in response to critical incidents or outages.
While some emergency changes are unavoidable, a high proportion of emergency changes compared to normal planned changes suggests issues such as:
- Inadequate planning and risk assessment of changes
- Insufficient testing prior to deployment
- Rushed and error-prone implementation
- Lack of proper oversight and approval
- “Cowboy coding” outside of change control
An excessive number of emergency changes increases the risk of failed or flawed changes that could negatively impact system stability, security, and performance. It circumvents important safeguards in the change management process.
The other options are less concerning:
- Canceled changes were prevented from being implemented, averting potential issues
- Rollback changes attempted to reverse problematic changes and restore stability
- High-impact changes affect critical systems but are not necessarily an issue if properly planned and tested
Therefore, a large number of emergency changes is the best indicator of potential problems in the change management process that the IS auditor should investigate further.
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