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CISM Practice Question: Restructuring its security governance due to…
A company is restructuring its security governance due to rapid growth. The CISO reports to the CIO. What is the PRIMARY risk of this reporting structure?
⚠ Common exam trap
In ISACA CISM, the question tests the distinction between a symptom (e.g., budget issues, compliance problems) and the root cause (loss of independent security authority) when the CISO reports to the CIO.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Security objectives may be overridden by IT operational goals
When the CISO reports to the CIO, security objectives are subordinate to IT operational goals. The CIO's primary mandate is system availability, performance, and cost efficiency, which can lead to security controls being deprioritized or bypassed to meet IT project deadlines. This structural conflict is the primary risk because it directly undermines the independence required for effective security governance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Compliance with regulations may become difficult
Why it's wrong here
Regulatory compliance is not inherently impaired by the CISO reporting to the CIO; the structural risk is that security priorities are subordinated to IT delivery. It is tempting because reporting lines do affect oversight and auditability, and in regulated sectors governance structure is genuinely scrutinised by auditors.
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The security budget may be insufficient
Why it's wrong here
Budget insufficiency is a possible symptom, not the primary structural risk; the core issue is impaired independence, since the CIO who owns delivery also controls security oversight and risk escalation. It is tempting because security is often underfunded, and in cost-constrained organisations budget is a legitimate governance worry.
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Cooperation between IT and security may decrease
Why it's wrong here
Cooperation between IT and security typically improves under a CIO, since both sit in one function; the primary risk is that security cannot independently challenge IT priorities or escalate risk to the board. It is tempting because siloed teams do cooperate poorly, and in federated models that friction is a real governance concern.
- ✓
Security objectives may be overridden by IT operational goals
Why this is correct
Reporting to the CIO places security within the IT function it must independently oversee, so IT operational priorities such as uptime and delivery speed can override security objectives. Independence from IT is the governance constraint this structure breaches.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CISM practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CISM exam.