What should an IS auditor recommend to optimize a business continuity plan?

The most effective recommendation for optimizing a business continuity plan is to conduct a business impact analysis to prioritize recovery. This process is critical as it helps identify and assess the potential impacts of disruptions on various business functions. By prioritizing the recovery of essential services and processes, organizations can allocate resources more effectively and minimize the time it takes to resume normal operations following an incident.

A business impact analysis provides insights into which processes are mission-critical and how different interruption scenarios could affect them. This understanding enables organizations to develop strategies that align their business continuity efforts with their overall operational and strategic objectives. By focusing on this analysis, an organization can ensure that the most vital areas are identified and protected, leading to a more effective and actionable business continuity plan.

In contrast, while identifying profitable business processes is important for overall operational efficiency, it does not directly support the objective of optimizing a business continuity plan, which is primarily concerned with maintaining critical functions during and after a disruption. Similarly, evaluating the overall business strategy may provide broader insights into organizational goals but lacks the specificity needed for effective continuity planning. Lastly, while focusing on the speed of system recovery is undoubtedly important, it should not overshadow the need for a thorough understanding of which systems are most vital to recover first, which is the essence