Which statement reflects independence in assessment?

• A. An assessor or assessment team is selected to conduct the control assessments.
• B. Independence is not considered in the selection.
• C. The appropriate level of independence is achieved for the assessor or assessment team selected.
• D. An assessor or assessment team is selected to conduct the control assessments and the appropriate level of independence is achieved.

Answer: (D)

Independence in assessment means the people conducting the evaluation are free from conflicts of interest and not involved in operating or managing the system being assessed, so their findings are objective and credible. The best choice reflects both the act of selecting someone to perform the control assessments and ensuring they have the appropriate level of independence. That combination ensures the assessment results can be trusted for risk decisions and authorization.

Choosing only the assessor without guaranteeing independence leaves room for potential bias. Claiming independence isn’t considered ignores a fundamental requirement for credible assessment. Holding independence without specifying the selection of an assessor leaves the process open to questions about who is evaluating and how they’re chosen. The option that includes both selecting the assessor and achieving the right level of independence best captures how independence is integrated into the assessment process.