Question 71 of 871
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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
Not directly impacted.
- ✗
The security budget may be insufficient
Why it's wrong here
Possible but not the primary risk.
- ✗
Cooperation between IT and security may decrease
Why it's wrong here
May improve, not decrease.
- ✓
Security objectives may be overridden by IT operational goals
Why this is correct
Conflict of interest reduces independence.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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