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DS4.5 - Testing of the IT Continuity Plan

This topic is intended to enable collaboration and sharing of information to facilitate a better understanding and approach to implementing this COBIT control objective based on the risk, value and guidance provided by its corresponding control practices.

COBIT Control Objective DS4.5 - Testing of the IT Continuity Plan is contained within Process Popup Ensure Continuous Service.

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Testing of the IT Continuity Plan

Test the IT continuity plan on a regular basis to ensure that IT systems can be effectively recovered, shortcomings are addressed and the plan remains relevant. This requires careful preparation, documentation, reporting of test results and, according to the results, implementation of an action plan. Consider the extent of testing recovery of single applications to integrated testing scenarios to end-to-end testing and integrated vendor testing.

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Value Drivers

  • Effective recovery of IT systems
  • Staff experienced in the recovery processes for IT systems
  • Upgraded plans overcoming shortcomings in the restoration of systems
  Risk Drivers
  • Shortcomings in recovery plans
  • Outdated recovery plans that do not reflect the current architecture
  • Inappropriate recovery steps and processes
  • Inability to effectively recover should real disaster occur

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  1. Schedule IT continuity tests on a regular basis or after major changes in the IT infrastructure or to the business and related applications. Ensure that all new components (e.g., hardware, software updates, new business processes) are included in the schedule.
  2. Create a detailed test schedule based on established recovery priorities. Ensure that test scenarios are realistic. Tests should include recovery of critical business application processing and should not be limited to recovery of infrastructure. Make sure that testing time is adequate and will not impact the ongoing business.
  3. Establish an independent test task force that keeps track of all events and records all results to be discussed in the debriefing. The members of the task force should not be key personnel defined in the plan. This task force should independently report to senior management and/or the board of directors.
  4. Perform a debriefing event wherein all failures are analysed and solutions are developed or handed over to task forces. Ensure that all outstanding issues related to continuity planning are analysed and resolved in an appropriate time frame. Schedule a retesting of the changes using similar or stronger parameters to ensure a positive impact on the recovery procedures.
  5. If testing is not feasible, evaluate alternative means for ensuring resources for business continuity (e.g., dry run).
  6. Measure and report the success or failure of the test and, therefore, the continuity and contingency ability for services to the risk management process (PO9).

 

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Books
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Aimed at both the novice and expert in IT security and industrial control systems (ICS), this book will help readers gain a better understanding of protecting ICSs from electronic threats.
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Events & Online Learning: 10 total

7 May 2012
ISACA International Event
Orlando, Florida, USA
Get the knowledge you need to stay one step ahead of the competition and keep up with changing professional trends at ISACA’s North America CACS Conference.
15 May 2012
ISACA International Event
Washington, DC, USA
12 Jun 2012
ISACA International Event
Dallas, Texas, USA
ISACA Training is a unique educational event designed to provide the tools you need to maintain, update and upgrade your skills, and to continue your professional development.
7 Aug 2012
ISACA International Event
Chicago, Illinois, USA
ISACA Training is a unique educational event designed to provide the tools you need to maintain, update and upgrade your skills, and to continue your professional development.
10 Sep 2012
ISACA International Event
Munich, Germany
EuroCACS/ISRM is a multidimensional event featuring audit, security, governance and risk content, and the audit and security programs, tools and the resources you need to be responsive to industry changes.
11 Sep 2012
ISACA International Event
San Francisco, California, USA
ISACA Training is a unique educational event designed to provide the tools you need to maintain, update and upgrade your skills, and to continue your professional development.

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Volume 3, 2012
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Volume 2, 2012
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The closer alignment between RIM and information security may provide an approach to managing increasing data protection concerns and tough privacy regulations rather than maintaining the separation between these critical compliance functions.
Volume 2, 2012
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Blog Posts: 19 total

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To share various espects in cloud computing viz; history, availability, deployment, integrity, availability, confidentiality, security, cloud sharing etc.
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