Continuous auditing provides the greatest assurance that a middleware application compiling data from multiple sales transaction databases for forecasting is operating effectively12. Continuous auditing involves the use of automated tools to continuously monitor and audit a system's operations12. This allows for real- time identification and resolution of issues, ensuring that the system is always functioning as expected12. It also provides ongoing assurance about the integrity and reliability of the data being compiled by the middleware application12.
References:
5 Data Integration Methods and Strategies | Talend
What Is Middleware? Definition, Architecture, and Best Practices

The IS auditor's greatest concern when reviewing a business case for a proposed implementation of a third- party system should be A. Lack of ongoing maintenance costs. This is because ongoing maintenance costs are an essential part of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a third-party system, and they can have a significant impact on the return on investment (ROI) and the feasibility of the project. If the business case does not include ongoing maintenance costs, it may underestimate the true cost of the project and overestimate the benefits. This could lead to poor decision making and unrealistic expectations.
Lack of training materials (B), lack of plan for pilot implementation , and lack of detailed work breakdown structure (D) are also potential issues that could affect the quality and success of the project, but they are not as critical as lack of ongoing maintenance costs. Training materials can be developed or acquired later, pilot implementation can be planned during the project initiation or planning phase, and work breakdown structure can be refined as the project progresses. However, ongoing maintenance costs are difficult to change or estimate once the project is approved and implemented, and they can have long-term implications for the organization. Therefore, they should be included and analyzed in the business case.

Deferring remediation testing until the next audit is justified only when there are significant changes in the audit environment that affect the relevance or validity of the audit observations and recommendations. For example, if there are changes in the business processes, systems, regulations, or risks that require a new audit scope or approach. The other options are not valid justifications for deferring remediation testing, as they do not address the timeliness or quality of the audit follow-up process. The auditor who conducted the audit and agreed with the timeline has left the organization does not affect the responsibility of the audit function to ensure that remediation testing is performed as planned. Management's planned actions are sufficient given the relative importance of the observations does not guarantee that management will actually implement those actions or that they will be effective in addressing the audit issues. Auditee management has accepted all observations reported by the auditor does not eliminate the need for verification of remediation actions by an independent party. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 2, Section 2.4

Write access to production program libraries presents the greatest risk when granted to a new member of the system development staff. Production program libraries contain executable code that runs on live systems and supports critical business functions. Write access allows a user to modify or delete existing programs, or add new programs to the library. If a user were to make unauthorized or erroneous changes to production programs, it could cause serious disruptions, errors, or security breaches in the organization's operations.
Therefore, writeaccess to production program libraries should be restricted to authorized personnel only, and subject to strict change management controls.

The main risk associated with adding a new system functionality during the development phase without following a project change management process is that the new functionality may not meet requirements (option B). This is because:
A project change management process is a set of procedures that defines how changes to the project scope, schedule, budget, quality, or resources are requested, evaluated, approved, implemented, and controlled12.
A project change management process helps to ensure that the changes are aligned with the project objectives, stakeholders' expectations, and business needs12.
Adding a new system functionality during the development phase without following a project change management process can introduce risks such as:
The added functionality has not been documented (option A), which can lead to confusion, inconsistency, errors, and rework3.
The project may fail to meet the established deadline (option C), which can result in delays, penalties, and customer dissatisfaction3.
The project may go over budget (option D), which can cause cost overruns, financial losses, and reduced profitability3.
However, the main risk is that the new functionality may not meet requirements (option B), which can have serious consequences such as:
The new functionality may not be compatible with the existing system or other components3.
The new functionality may not be tested or verified for quality, performance, security, or usability3.
The new functionality may not deliver the expected value or benefits to the users or customers3.
The new functionality may not comply with the regulatory or contractual obligations3.
The new functionality may cause dissatisfaction, complaints, or litigation from the stakeholders3.
Therefore, the main risk associated with adding a new system functionality during the development phase without following a project change management process is that the new functionality may not meet requirements (option B), as this can jeopardize the success and acceptance of the project.
References: 1: How to Make a Change Management Plan (Templates Included) - ProjectManager 2: What Is Change Management? Process & Models Explained - ProjectManager 3: 8 Steps for an Effective Change Management Process - Smartsheet