CISM Information Security Program Practice Test 2 — 15 Questions

Question 1

You are the CISO of a mid-sized financial services firm that processes credit card transactions. The company has recently expanded its operations to include a mobile payment application that stores payment credentials in the cloud. The current information security program was designed primarily for the on-premises environment and has not been updated to address cloud-specific risks. The internal audit team has identified that the cloud service provider (CSP) does not have an independent third-party audit report (e.g., SOC 2) available for review. Additionally, the mobile app development team has been deploying code without formal security review, citing the need for rapid releases to compete in the market. The CEO has expressed concern about the potential for a data breach and has asked you to recommend immediate actions to strengthen the security program while minimizing business disruption. Which of the following should you recommend as the FIRST course of action?

Choose an answer to begin — your selection is scored in the full session.

Accepted Answer

Conduct a detailed security assessment of the cloud service provider's controls and contractually require an annual SOC 2 Type II report.. The correct first course of action because the absence of an independent third-party audit report (e.g., SOC 2 Type II) means the organization has no verified assurance that the cloud service provider (CSP) has adequate security controls in place. As CISO, you must immediately assess the CSP's security posture and contractually mandate a SOC 2 Type II report to gain visibility into the effectiveness of the CSP's controls over time, which is foundational before implementing any compensating technical controls. This aligns with the CISM domain of Information Security Program governance, where vendor risk management and due diligence are critical first steps when expanding into cloud environments.

Answer

Encrypt all data in transit and at rest using the organization's own encryption keys.

Answer

Implement compensating controls such as tokenization for all cardholder data stored in the cloud.

Answer

Require the mobile app development team to undergo formal security training and implement a peer review process for all code deployments.

Question 2

An information security program is being developed for a multinational organization. Which of the following is the PRIMARY driver for aligning the security program with business objectives?

Accepted Answer

Achieving the organization's strategic goals. The primary driver for aligning the security program with business objectives is to ensure that security initiatives directly support and enable the organization's strategic goals. Without this alignment, security becomes a cost center rather than a business enabler, and resources may be misallocated to activities that do not advance the enterprise's mission. CISM emphasizes that security governance must be integrated with business strategy to justify investment and demonstrate value to stakeholders.

Answer

Compliance with industry regulations

Answer

Reducing information security costs

Answer

Implementing the latest security technologies

Question 3

After a major security incident, the board of directors requests a review of the information security program. Which of the following metrics would be MOST useful to demonstrate the effectiveness of the program over the past year?

Accepted Answer

Number of security incidents detected and contained within defined SLAs. The number of incidents detected and contained within defined SLAs directly measures the program's ability to detect and respond to threats, which is a key indicator of operational effectiveness. Other metrics may be useful but do not directly measure the program's performance in protecting the organization.

Answer

Percentage of employees who completed security awareness training

Answer

Total cost of security investments compared to industry benchmarks

Answer

Number of vulnerabilities identified in the latest penetration test

Question 4

An information security manager is designing a program for a healthcare organization. Which of the following should be the FIRST step in establishing the program?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a risk assessment. Conducting a risk assessment is the foundational first step because it identifies and prioritizes the specific threats and vulnerabilities facing the healthcare organization's sensitive data (e.g., PHI under HIPAA). Without this baseline understanding, any subsequent policies, controls, or metrics would be misaligned with actual risk exposure, leading to ineffective or wasteful security investments.

Answer

Develop information security policies and procedures

Answer

Select and implement security controls

Answer

Define security metrics and reporting

Question 5

An organization's information security program includes a formal exception process. When reviewing an exception request to bypass a critical control, what is the MOST important factor for the information security manager to consider?

Accepted Answer

The residual risk after compensating controls. The most important factor when reviewing an exception request to bypass a critical control is the residual risk after compensating controls. This ensures that the organization's risk appetite is not exceeded and that the compensating controls adequately mitigate the risk to an acceptable level, as required by frameworks like ISO 27001 and NIST SP 800-53.

Answer

The cost of implementing the control

Answer

The number of users affected by the exception

Answer

The duration of the exception

Question 6

Which of the following are key components of an effective information security program? (Select TWO.)

Accepted Answer

A risk management framework. A risk management framework is a key component because it provides a structured, repeatable process for identifying, assessing, and mitigating information security risks. It ensures that security investments and controls are aligned with business objectives and risk appetite, rather than being ad hoc or technology-driven. Without a risk management framework, an information security program lacks the foundational governance to prioritize threats and allocate resources effectively.

Answer

State-of-the-art security tools and technologies

Answer

A large security operations center

Answer

Compliance with all applicable laws

Question 7

An information security manager is evaluating the maturity of the organization's security program. Which of the following indicators suggest a high level of maturity? (Select TWO.)

Accepted Answer

Security metrics are included in regular executive reports. Including security metrics in regular executive reports demonstrates that security performance is being measured, tracked, and communicated to leadership as part of ongoing governance. This aligns with a mature security program where security is integrated into business decision-making, not treated as a siloed technical function.

Answer

All security incidents are resolved within 24 hours

Answer

The program uses the latest encryption standards

Answer

The security team conducts annual penetration tests

Question 8

Which of the following is the PRIMARY responsibility of a steering committee in an information security program?

Accepted Answer

Providing strategic direction and oversight. The steering committee's primary role is to provide strategic direction and oversight for the information security program, ensuring alignment with business objectives and risk appetite. This includes approving the overall security strategy, budget, and major initiatives, rather than engaging in operational tasks like policy drafting or technical assessments.

Answer

Approving individual security policies

Answer

Conducting vulnerability assessments

Answer

Implementing security controls

Question 9

An organization's information security program is based on a risk management framework. Which of the following BEST describes the role of the information security manager in this context?

Accepted Answer

Designing and managing the security program. The information security manager is responsible for designing and managing the security program based on the risk management framework. This includes translating risk assessment results into security controls, policies, and procedures, and ensuring the program aligns with the organization's risk posture. The manager does not set risk appetite (that is a board-level decision) nor own all risks (risk owners are business process owners).

Answer

Setting the organization's risk appetite

Answer

Owning all information security risks

Answer

Conducting internal audits of controls

Question 10

An organization has implemented a balanced scorecard to measure the effectiveness of its information security program. Which of the following metrics would be MOST appropriate for the 'internal processes' perspective?

Accepted Answer

Mean time to detect and respond to incidents. The 'internal processes' perspective of a balanced scorecard focuses on the efficiency and effectiveness of the operational workflows that deliver the security program. Mean time to detect (MTTD) and mean time to respond (MTTR) directly measure the performance of the incident response process, which is a core internal process. This metric reflects how quickly the organization can identify and contain threats, making it the most appropriate choice for this perspective.

Answer

Percentage of systems compliant with baseline

Answer

Percentage of users who completed security awareness training

Answer

Number of security incidents reported to management

Question 11

Which of the following are key components of an information security program? (Select TWO)

Accepted Answer

A set of security policies and standards. A set of security policies and standards is a key component because it establishes the governance framework that defines acceptable use, access control, and compliance requirements for the entire organization. Without documented policies and standards, the security program lacks the authoritative baseline to enforce controls or measure effectiveness. These documents are the foundation for all other security activities, including training, audits, and incident response.

Answer

A network architecture diagram

Answer

An incident response log

Question 12

An information security manager is developing a security program for a multinational organization. Which of the following should be considered when defining the program scope? (Select THREE)

Accepted Answer

Business objectives and strategy. Business objectives and strategy (A) are foundational because the security program must align with and support the organization's mission, risk appetite, and strategic goals. Without this alignment, security controls may conflict with business operations or fail to prioritize critical assets, leading to wasted resources or increased risk exposure.

Answer

Current technology architecture

Question 13

Match each information security program component with its correct description.

Answer

Recommended practice or advisory action

Answer

High-level statement of management intent

Answer

Detailed step-by-step instructions

Answer

Mandatory requirement to support policy

Question 14

Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of an Information Security Program?

Accepted Answer

To align security efforts with business objectives and manage risk.. The primary purpose of an Information Security Program is to align security efforts with business objectives and manage risk to an acceptable level. This ensures that security investments and activities directly support the organization's mission, rather than operating in isolation. A program focused solely on compliance or technical controls may fail to address the dynamic risk landscape and business needs.

Answer

To reduce the number of security incidents to zero.

Answer

To ensure compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.

Answer

To implement technical security controls across all systems.

Question 15

An organization's information security program has been operational for two years. The security manager is asked to propose changes to improve effectiveness. Which approach should the manager take first?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a maturity assessment of the current program.. Before making any changes, the security manager must first understand the current state of the program. A maturity assessment (e.g., using the CMMI or COBIT framework) evaluates the effectiveness, gaps, and capability levels of existing processes and controls. This baseline ensures that subsequent improvements are targeted and justified, rather than arbitrary or misaligned with the organization's actual needs.

Answer

Implement new security controls based on industry best practices.

Answer

Increase the security awareness training budget.

Answer

Revise the information security policy.