CISM Information Security Program Practice Question
A financial institution's security program must comply with PCI DSS, GDPR, and SOX. Which approach is MOST efficient to manage overlapping compliance requirements?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently think focusing on the strictest regulation (Option B) is efficient, but they overlook that each regulation has unique non-overlapping requirements (e.g., GDPR's breach notification timeline vs. PCI DSS's quarterly scans) that must be addressed separately.
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
✓
Implement a single control set mapped to all applicable regulations
Implementing a single control set mapped to all applicable regulations (PCI DSS, GDPR, SOX) leverages common controls to satisfy overlapping requirements efficiently. This approach reduces duplication of effort, simplifies audit preparation, and ensures consistent security posture across the organization. For example, access control requirements under PCI DSS 7.1, GDPR Article 32, and SOX Section 404 can be addressed by a unified identity and access management (IAM) policy with role-based access controls (RBAC) and logging.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Develop three separate control sets for each regulation
Why it's wrong here
Separate controls increase complexity and cost.
- ✗
Focus only on the requirements of the strictest regulation
Why it's wrong here
This approach may miss unique requirements of other regulations.
- ✓
Implement a single control set mapped to all applicable regulations
Why this is correct
A unified control framework eliminates redundancy and streamlines compliance.
- ✗
Engage external auditors to manage compliance for each regulation
Why it's wrong here
Outsourcing does not address internal control efficiency.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
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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.