ISO-IEC-27001-Lead-Auditor PECB Certified ISO/IEC 27001 2022 Lead Auditor exam Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

You are conducting a third-party surveillance audit when another member of the audit team approaches you seeking clarification. They have been asked to assess the organisation's application of control 5.7 - Threat Intelligence. They are aware that this is one of the new controls introduced in the 2022 edition of ISO/IEC 27001, and they want to make sure they audit the control correctly.

They have prepared a checklist to assist them with their audit and want you to confirm that their planned activities are aligned with the control's requirements.

Which three of the following options represent valid audit trails?

You are an experienced ISMS audit team leader guiding an auditor in training. She asks you about the grading of nonconformities in audit reports. You decide to test her knowledge by asking her which four of the following statements are true.

Scenario 5: Cobt. an insurance company in London, offers various commercial, industrial, and life insurance solutions. In recent years, the number of Cobt's clients has increased enormously. Having a huge amount of data to process, the company decided that certifying against ISO/IEC 27001 would bring many benefits to securing information and show its commitment to continual improvement. While the company was well-versed in conducting regular risk assessments, implementing an ISMS brought major changes to its daily operations. During the risk assessment process, a risk was identified where significant defects occurred without being detected or prevented by the organizations internal control mechanisms.

The company followed a methodology to implement the ISMS and had an operational ISMS in place after only a few months After successfully implementing the ISMS, Cobt applied for ISO/IEC 27001 certification Sarah, an experienced auditor, was assigned to the audit Upon thoroughly analyzing the audit offer, Sarah accepted her responsibilities as an audit team leader and immediately started to obtain general information about Cobt She established the audit criteria and objective, planned the audit, and assigned the audit team members' responsibilities.

Sarah acknowledged that although Cobt has expanded significantly by offering diverse commercial and insurance solutions, it still relies on some manual processes Therefore, her initial focus was to gather information on how the company manages its information security risks Sarah contacted Cobt's representatives to request access to information related to risk management for the off-site review, as initially agreed upon for part of the audit However, Cobt later refused, claiming that such information is too sensitive to be accessed outside of the company This refusal raised concerns about the audit's feasibility, particularly regarding the availability and cooperation of the auditee and access to evidence Moreover, Cobt raised concerns about the audit schedule, stating that it does not properly reflect the recent changes the company made It pointed out that the actions to be performed during the audit apply only to the initial scope and do not encompass the latest changes made in the audit scope

Sarah also evaluated the materiality of the situation, considering the significance of the information denied for the audit objectives. In this case, the refusal by Cobt raised questions about the completeness of the audit and its ability to provide reasonable assurance. Following these situations, Sarah decided to withdraw from the audit before a certification agreement was signed and communicated her decision to Cobt and the certification body. This decision was made to ensure adherence to audit principles and maintain transparency, highlighting her commitment to consistently upholding these principles.

Based on the scenario above, answer the following question:

Question:

Based on Scenario 5, Cobt stated that the audit schedule did not properly reflect the recent changes they made in the audit scope. What should Sarah do in this case?

Scenario 9: UpNet, a networking company, has been certified against ISO/IEC 27001. It provides network security, virtualization, cloud computing, network hardware, network management software, and networking technologies.

The company's recognition has increased drastically since gaining ISO/IEC 27001 certification. The certification confirmed the maturity of UpNefs operations and its compliance with a widely recognized and accepted standard.

But not everything ended after the certification. UpNet continually reviewed and enhanced its security controls and the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the ISMS by conducting internal audits. The top management was not willing to employ a full-time team of internal auditors, so they decided to outsource the internal audit function. This form of internal audits ensured independence, objectivity, and that they had an advisory role about the continual improvement of the ISMS.

Not long after the initial certification audit, the company created a new department specialized in data and storage products. They offered routers and switches optimized for data centers and software-based networking devices, such as network virtualization and network security appliances. This caused changes to the operations of the other departments already covered in the ISMS certification scope.

Therefore. UpNet initiated a risk assessment process and an internal audit. Following the internal audit result, the company confirmed the effectiveness and efficiency of the existing and new processes and controls.

The top management decided to include the new department in the certification scope since it complies with ISO/IEC 27001 requirements. UpNet announced that it is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and the certification scope encompasses the whole company.

One year after the initial certification audit, the certification body conducted another audit of UpNefs ISMS. This audit aimed to determine the UpNefs ISMS fulfillment of specified ISO/IEC 27001 requirements and ensure that the ISMS is being continually improved. The audit team confirmed that the certified ISMS continues to fulfill

the requirements of the standard. Nonetheless, the new department caused a significant impact on governing the management system. Moreover, the certification body was not informed about any changes. Thus, the UpNefs certification was suspended.

Based on the scenario above, answer the following question:

UpNet ensured independence, objectivity, and advisory activities from the internal audit. Is this action acceptable?

In the context of a third-party certification audit, confidentiality is an issue in an audit programme. Select two options which correctly state the function of confidentiality in an audit

After analyzing the audit conclusions, Company X decided to accept the risk related to one of the detected nonconformities. They claimed that no corrective action was necessary; however, their decision was not documented. Is this acceptable?

Scenario 9: UpNet, a networking company, has been certified against ISO/IEC 27001. It provides network security, virtualization, cloud computing, network hardware, network management software, and networking technologies.

The company's recognition has increased drastically since gaining ISO/IEC 27001 certification. The certification confirmed the maturity of UpNefs operations and its compliance with a widely recognized and accepted standard.

But not everything ended after the certification. UpNet continually reviewed and enhanced its security controls and the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the ISMS by conducting internal audits. The top management was not willing to employ a full-time team of internal auditors, so they decided to outsource the internal audit function. This form of internal audits ensured independence, objectivity, and that they had an advisory role about the continual improvement of the ISMS.

Not long after the initial certification audit, the company created a new department specialized in data and storage products. They offered routers and switches optimized for data centers and software-based networking devices, such as network virtualization and network security appliances. This caused changes to the operations of the other departments already covered in the ISMS certification scope.

Therefore. UpNet initiated a risk assessment process and an internal audit. Following the internal audit result, the company confirmed the effectiveness and efficiency of the existing and new processes and controls.

The top management decided to include the new department in the certification scope since it complies with ISO/IEC 27001 requirements. UpNet announced that it is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and the certification scope encompasses the whole company.

One year after the initial certification audit, the certification body conducted another audit of UpNefs ISMS. This audit aimed to determine the UpNefs ISMS fulfillment of specified ISO/IEC 27001 requirements and ensure that the ISMS is being continually improved. The audit team confirmed that the certified ISMS continues to fulfill

the requirements of the standard. Nonetheless, the new department caused a significant impact on governing the management system. Moreover, the certification body was not informed about any changes. Thus, the UpNefs certification was suspended.

Based on the scenario above, answer the following question:

UpNet outsourced the internal audit function, as provided in scenario 9. Does it impact the internal audit process?

Scenario 5: Data Grid Inc. is a well-known company that delivers security services across the entire information technology infrastructure. It provides cybersecurity software, including endpoint security, firewalls, and antivirus software. For two decades, Data Grid Inc. has helped various companies secure their networks through advanced products and services. Having achieved reputation in the information and network security field, Data Grid Inc. decided to obtain the ISO/IEC 27001 certification to better secure its internal and customer assets and gain competitive advantage.

Data Grid Inc. appointed the audit team, who agreed on the terms of the audit mandate. In addition, Data Grid Inc. defined the audit scope, specified the audit criteria, and proposed to close the audit within five days. The audit team rejected Data Grid Inc.'s proposal to conduct the audit within five days, since the company has a large number of employees and complex processes. Data Grid Inc. insisted that they have planned to complete the audit within five days, so both parties agreed upon conducting the audit within the defined duration. The audit team followed a risk-based auditing approach.

To gain an overview of the main business processes and controls, the audit team accessed process descriptions and organizational charts. They were unable to perform a deeper analysis of the IT risks and controls because their access to the IT infrastructure and applications was restricted. However, the audit team stated that the risk that a significant defect could occur to Data Grid Inc.'s ISMS was low since most of the company's processes were automated. They therefore evaluated that the ISMS, as a whole, conforms to the standard requirements by asking the representatives of Data Grid Inc. the following questions:

•How are responsibilities for IT and IT controls defined and assigned?

•How does Data Grid Inc. assess whether the controls have achieved the desired results?

•What controls does Data Grid Inc. have in place to protect the operating environment and data from malicious software?

•Are firewall-related controls implemented?

Data Grid Inc.'s representatives provided sufficient and appropriate evidence to address all these questions.

The audit team leader drafted the audit conclusions and reported them to Data Grid Inc.'s top management. Though Data Grid Inc. was recommended for certification by the auditors, misunderstandings were raised between Data Grid Inc. and the certification body in regards to audit objectives. Data Grid Inc. stated that even though the audit objectives included the identification of areas for potential improvement, the audit team did not provide such information.

Based on this scenario, answer the following question:

Based on scenario 5, the audit team disagreed with the proposed audit duration by Data Grid Inc. for the ISMS audit. How do you describe such a situation?

Scenario 4: SendPay is a financial company that provides its services through a network of agents and financial institutions. One of their main services is transferring money worldwide. SendPay, as a new company, seeks to offer top quality services to its clients. Since the company offers international transactions, it requires from their clients to provide personal information, such as their identity, the reason for the transactions, and other details that might be needed to complete the transaction. Therefore, SendPay has implemented security measures to protect their clients' information, including detecting, investigating, and responding to any information security threats that may emerge. Their commitment to offering secure services was also reflected during the ISMS implementation where the company invested a lot of time and resources.

Last year, SendPay unveiled their digital platform that allows money transactions through electronic devices, such as smartphones or laptops, without requiring an additional fee. Through this platform, SendPay's clients can send and receive money from anywhere and at any time. The digital platform helped SendPay to simplify the company's operations and further expand its business. At the time, SendPay was outsourcing its software operations, hence the project was completed by the software development team of the outsourced company. The same team was also responsible for maintaining the technology infrastructure of SendPay.

Recently, the company applied for ISO/IEC 27001 certification after having an ISMS in place for almost a year. They contracted a certification body that fit their criteria. Soon after, the certification body appointed a team of four auditors to audit SendPay's ISMS.

During the audit, among others, the following situations were observed:

1.The outsourced software company had terminated the contract with SendPay without prior notice. As a result, SendPay was unable to immediately bring the services back in-house and its operations were disrupted for five days. The auditors requested from SendPay's representatives to provide evidence that they have a plan to follow in cases of contract terminations. The representatives did not provide any documentary evidence but during an interview, they told the auditors that the top management of SendPay had identified two other software development companies that could provide services immediately if similar situations happen again.

2.There was no evidence available regarding the monitoring of the activities that were outsourced to the software development company. Once again, the representatives of SendPay told the auditors that they regularly communicate with the software development company and that they are appropriately informed for any possible change that might occur.

3.There was no nonconformity found during the firewall testing. The auditors tested the firewall configuration in order to determine the level of security provided by

these services. They used a packet analyzer to test the firewall policies which enabled them to check the packets sent or received in real-time.

Based on this scenario, answer the following question:

SendPay's representatives stated that the company did not have a plan to follow in case of a contract termination with the company that they outsource activities to. Instead, the top management had identified two other software development companies that could provide the same services. How do you describe this situation?

You are performing an ISMS audit at a residential nursing home that provides healthcare services. The next step in your audit plan is to verify the information security incident management process. The IT Security Manager presents the information

security incident management procedure (Document reference ID: ISMS_L2_16, version 4) and explains that the process is

based on ISO/IEC 27035-1:2016.

You review the document and notice a statement "any information security weakness, event, and incident should be reported

to the Point of Contact (PoC) within 1 hour after identification". When interviewing staff, you found that there were differences

in the understanding of the meaning of "weakness, event, and incident".

The IT Security Manager explained that an online "information security handling" training seminar was conducted 6 months

ago. All of the interviewed persons participated in and passed the reporting exercise and course assessment.

You are preparing the audit findings. Select two options that are correct.

Scenario 3: Rebuildy is a construction company located in Bangkok.. Thailand, that specializes in designing, building, and maintaining residential buildings. To ensure the security of sensitive project data and client information, Rebuildy decided to implement an ISMS based on ISO/IEC 27001. This included a comprehensive understanding of information security risks, a defined continual improvement approach, and robust business solutions.

The ISMS implementation outcomes are presented below

•Information security is achieved by applying a set of security controls and establishing policies, processes, and procedures.

•Security controls are implemented based on risk assessment and aim to eliminate or reduce risks to an acceptable level.

•All processes ensure the continual improvement of the ISMS based on the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) model.

•The information security policy is part of a security manual drafted based on best security practices Therefore, it is not a stand-alone document.

•Information security roles and responsibilities have been clearly stated in every employees job description

•Management reviews of the ISMS are conducted at planned intervals.

Rebuildy applied for certification after two midterm management reviews and one annual internal audit Before the certification audit one of Rebuildy’s former employees approached one of the audit team members to tell them that Rebuildy has several security problems that the company is trying to conceal. The former employee presented the documented evidence to the audit team member Electra, a key client of Rebuildy, also submitted evidence on the same issues, and the auditor determined to retain this evidence instead of the former employee's. The audit team member remained in contact with Electra until the audit was completed, discussing the nonconformities found during the audit. Electra provided additional evidence to support these findings.

At the beginning of the audit, the audit team interviewed the company’s top management They discussed, among other things, the top management's commitment to the ISMS implementation. The evidence obtained from these discussions was documented in written confirmation, which was used to determine Rebuildy’s conformity to several clauses of ISO/IEC 27001

The documented evidence obtained from Electra was attached to the audit report, along with the nonconformities report. Among others, the following nonconformities were detected:

•An instance of improper user access control settings was detected within the company's financial reporting system.

•A stand-alone information security policy has not been established. Instead, the company uses a security manual drafted based on best security practices.

After receiving these documents from the audit team, the team leader met Rebuildy’s top management to present the audit findings. The audit team reported the findings related to the financial reporting system and the lack of a stand-alone information security policy. The top management expressed dissatisfaction with the findings and suggested that the audit team leader's conduct was unprofessional, implying they might request a replacement. Under pressure, the audit team leader decided to cooperate with top management to downplay the significance of the detected nonconformities. Consequently, the audit team leader adjusted the report to present a more favorable view, thus misrepresenting the true extent of Rebuildy's compliance issues.

Based on the scenario above, answer the following question:

Question:

Is it acceptable for the auditor to prioritize keeping the evidence provided by Electra over the evidence provided by the former employee?

Scenario 6: Cyber ACrypt is a cybersecurity company that provides endpoint protection by offering anti-malware and device security, asset life cycle management, and device encryption. To validate its ISMS against ISO/IEC 27001 and demonstrate its commitment to cybersecurity excellence, the company underwent a meticulous audit process led by John, the appointed audit team leader.

Upon accepting the audit mandate, John promptly organized a meeting to outline the audit plan and team roles This phase was crucial for aligning the team with the audit's objectives and scope However, the initial presentation to Cyber ACrypt’s staff revealed a significant gap in understanding the audit's scope and objectives, indicating potential readiness challenges within the company

As the stage 1 audit commenced, the team prepared for on-site activities. They reviewed Cyber ACrypt's documented information, including the information security policy and operational procedures ensuring each piece conformed to and was standardized in format with author identification, production date, version number, and approval date Additionally, the audit team ensured that each document contained the information required by the respective clause of the standard This phase revealed that a detailed audit of the documentation describing task execution was unnecessary, streamlining the process and focusing the team's efforts on critical areas During the phase of conducting on-site activities, the team evaluated management responsibility for the Cyber Acrypt's policies This thorough examination aimed to ascertain continual improvement and adherence to ISMS requirements Subsequently, in the document, the stage 1 audit outputs phase, the audit team meticulously documented their findings, underscoring their conclusions regarding the fulfillment of the stage 1 objectives. This documentation was vital for the audit team and Cyber ACrypt to understand the preliminary audit outcomes and areas requiring attention.

The audit team also decided to conduct interviews with key interested parties. This decision was motivated by the objective of collecting robust audit evidence to validate the management system’s compliance with ISO/IEC 27001 requirements. Engaging with interested parties across various levels of Cyber ACrypt provided the audit team with invaluable perspectives and an understanding of the ISMS's implementation and effectiveness.

The stage 1 audit report unveiled critical areas of concern. The Statement of Applicability (SoA) and the ISMS policy were found to be lacking in several respects, including insufficient risk assessment, inadequate access controls, and lack of regular policy reviews. This prompted Cyber ACrypt to take immediate action to address these shortcomings. Their prompt response and modifications to the strategic documents reflected a strong commitment to achieving compliance.

The technical expertise introduced to bridge the audit team's cybersecurity knowledge gap played a pivotal role in identifying shortcomings in the risk assessment methodology and reviewing network architecture. This included evaluating firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and other network security measures, as well as assessing how Cyber ACrypt detects, responds to, and recovers from external and internal threats. Under John's supervision, the technical expert communicated the audit findings to the representatives of Cyber ACrypt. However, the audit team observed that the expert s objectivity might have been compromised due to receiving consultancy fees from the auditee. Considering the behavior of the technical expert during the audit, the audit team leader decided to discuss this concern with the certification body.

Based on the scenario above, answer the following question:

Question:

Which criteria for evaluating documented information was NOT validated by the audit team? (Refer to Scenario 6)

During an audit, the audit team leader reached timely conclusions based on logical reasoning and analysis. What professional behaviour was displayed by the audit team leader?

You are an experienced audit team leader conducting a third-party surveillance audit of an organisation that designs websites for its clients. You are currently reviewing the organisation's Statement of Applicability.

Based on the requirements of ISO/IEC 27001, which two of the following observations about the Statement of Applicability are false?

Scenario 9: Techmanic is a Belgian company founded in 1995 and currently operating in Brussels. It provides IT consultancy, software design, and hardware/software services, including deployment and maintenance. The company serves sectors like public services, finance, telecom, energy, healthcare, and education. As a customer-centered company, it prioritizes strong client relationships and leading security practices.

Techmanic has been ISO/IEC 27001 certified for a year and regards this certification with pride. During the certification audit, the auditor found some inconsistencies in its ISMS implementation. Since the observed situations did not affect the capability of its ISMS to achieve the intended results, Techmanic was certified after auditors followed up on the root cause analysis and corrective actions remotely During that year, the company added hosting to its list of services and requested to expand its certification scope to include that area The auditor in charge approved the request and notified Techmanic that the extension audit would be conducted during the surveillance audit

Techmanic underwent a surveillance audit to verify its iSMS's continued effectiveness and compliance with ISO/IEC 27001. The surveillance audit aimed to ensure that Techmanic’s security practices, including the recent addition of hosting services, aligned seamlessly with the rigorous requirements of the certification

The auditor strategically utilized the findings from previous surveillance audit reports in the recertification activity with the purpose of replacing the need for additional recertification audits, specifically in the IT consultancy sector. Recognizing the value of continual improvement and learning from past assessments. Techmanic implemented a practice of reviewing previous surveillance audit reports. This proactive approach not only facilitated identifying and resolving potential nonconformities but also aimed to streamline the recertification process in the IT consultancy sector.

During the surveillance audit, several nonconformities were found. The ISMS continued to fulfill the ISO/IEC 27001*s requirements, but Techmanic failed to resolve the nonconformities related to the hosting services, as reported by its internal auditor. In addition, the internal audit report had several inconsistencies, which questioned the independence of the internal auditor during the audit of hosting services. Based on this, the extension certification was not granted. As a result. Techmanic requested a transfer to another certification body. In the meantime, the company released a statement to its clients stating that the ISO/IEC 27001 certification covers the IT services, as well as the hosting services.

Based on the scenario above, answer the following question:

Question:

Which of the options below does an internal audit program NOT allow?

You are performing an ISMS audit at a residential nursing home called ABC that provides healthcare services. You find all nursing home residents wear an electronic wristband for monitoring their location, heartbeat, and blood pressure always. You learned that the electronic wristband automatically uploads all data to the artificial intelligence (AI) cloud server for healthcare monitoring and analysis by healthcare staff.

To verify the scope of ISMS, you interview the management system representative (MSR) who explains that the ISMS scope covers an outsourced data center.

Select one option of the correct statement which defines the content of the scope of the ISMS.

Scenario 9: Techmanic is a Belgian company founded in 1995 and currently operating in Brussels. It provides IT consultancy, software design, and hardware/software services, including deployment and maintenance. The company serves sectors like public services, finance, telecom, energy, healthcare, and education. As a customer-centered company, it prioritizes strong client relationships and leading security practices.

Techmanic has been ISO/IEC 27001 certified for a year and regards this certification with pride. During the certification audit, the auditor found some inconsistencies in its ISMS implementation. Since the observed situations did not affect the capability of its ISMS to achieve the intended results, Techmanic was certified after auditors followed up on the root cause analysis and corrective actions remotely During that year, the company added hosting to its list of services and requested to expand its certification scope to include that area The auditor in charge approved the request and notified Techmanic that the extension audit would be conducted during the surveillance audit

Techmanic underwent a surveillance audit to verify its iSMS's continued effectiveness and compliance with ISO/IEC 27001. The surveillance audit aimed to ensure that Techmanic’s security practices, including the recent addition of hosting services, aligned seamlessly with the rigorous requirements of the certification

The auditor strategically utilized the findings from previous surveillance audit reports in the recertification activity with the purpose of replacing the need for additional recertification audits, specifically in the IT consultancy sector. Recognizing the value of continual improvement and learning from past assessments. Techmanic implemented a practice of reviewing previous surveillance audit reports. This proactive approach not only facilitated identifying and resolving potential nonconformities but also aimed to streamline the recertification process in the IT consultancy sector.

During the surveillance audit, several nonconformities were found. The ISMS continued to fulfill the ISO/IEC 27001*s requirements, but Techmanic failed to resolve the nonconformities related to the hosting services, as reported by its internal auditor. In addition, the internal audit report had several inconsistencies, which questioned the independence of the internal auditor during the audit of hosting services. Based on this, the extension certification was not granted. As a result. Techmanic requested a transfer to another certification body. In the meantime, the company released a statement to its clients stating that the ISO/IEC 27001 certification covers the IT services, as well as the hosting services.

Based on the scenario above, answer the following question:

Question:

Auditors recommended Techmanic for certification after following up on corrective actions remotely. Is this acceptable?

You are an experienced ISMS audit team leader guiding an auditor in training. Your team has just completed a third-party surveillance audit of a mobile telecom provider. The auditor in training asks you how you intend to prepare for the Closing meeting. Which four of the following are appropriate responses?

Implement plan on a test basis - this comes under which section of PDCA