An organization recently documented its procedures for recovering systems and data after a disaster How are these documented procedures most likely…

During a disaster simulation, documented procedures serve as the script for the recovery team. The primary use of these procedures is to guide team members through their assigned tasks, thereby testing and ensuring they understand their specific roles and responsibilities as defined in the plan. The exercise validates whether the documented steps are clear, executable, and whether personnel can effectively perform them under simulated pressure. This practical application is crucial for confirming the operational readiness of the recovery team and the viability of the documented plan itself.

A. Configuring communication tools is a specific, preliminary task, not the overarching use of system and data recovery procedures during a simulation.

B. Identifying training needs is a valuable outcome or result of the simulation, discovered by observing performance, not the direct use of the procedures during the exercise.

D. Validating contact information is typically part of testing the communication plan, a separate component from the technical procedures for system and data recovery.

1. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (2010). Special Publication 800-34 Rev. 1

Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems.

Section 5.3

"Exercises

" Page 39: States that a key purpose of exercises is to "Familiarize team members with their roles and responsibilities in a contingency event." This directly supports that procedures are used to ensure team members understand their roles during a simulation.

2. The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). (2013). Global Technology Audit Guide (GTAG) 10: Business Continuity Management (2nd Edition).

Page 21

"Testing the BCM Program": The guide explains that testing validates "that the individuals involved are knowledgeable and skilled and can execute their assigned responsibilities." This aligns with using the documented procedures to ensure team members understand and can perform their roles.

3. Sawyer

L. B.

Dittenhofer

M. A.

& Scheiner

J. H. (2019). Sawyer's Internal Auditing: Enhancing and Protecting Organizational Value (7th ed.). The IIA Research Foundation.

Chapter 21

"Auditing Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery": This chapter emphasizes that a key objective of testing disaster recovery plans is to "determine whether responsible personnel are familiar with their duties and responsibilities as specified in the plan." This confirms the use of procedures to validate role understanding.