ISC2 CISSP Practice Question

The correct answer is performing a security impact analysis and testing the change in a sandbox environment. This step is the most critical for proactively identifying potential security vulnerabilities. A security impact analysis assesses how the proposed change could affect the existing security posture, while testing in an isolated sandbox allows for the discovery of unforeseen flaws or weaknesses without risking the live environment. Managerial approval is a necessary authorization step but does not, by itself, validate the security of the change. A back-out plan is a reactive control, essential for recovery if a change fails, but it does not prevent the initial introduction of a vulnerability. Documenting the change in the CMDB is a crucial post-implementation step for maintaining an accurate inventory, not a preventative security measure.