CISM Information Security Risk Management Practice Question
A risk manager is presenting risk treatment options to senior management. Which of the following is the BEST approach to communicate risk in a way that supports informed decision-making?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently choose Option A (focusing only on high and extreme risks) because it seems efficient, but CISM emphasizes that risk communication must support informed decision-making across all risk levels, not just the most severe ones.
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
✓
Translate risk into potential financial impact
Translating risk into potential financial impact (Option C) is the best approach because it aligns risk with business objectives, enabling senior management to make cost-benefit decisions. Financial quantification, such as Annualized Loss Expectancy (ALE), provides a common language that executives understand, directly supporting informed decision-making on risk treatment options.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Focus only on high and extreme risks
Why it's wrong here
All risks should be communicated to provide a complete picture.
- ✗
Use technical language to accurately describe vulnerabilities
Why it's wrong here
Technical language may not be understood by senior management.
- ✓
Translate risk into potential financial impact
Why this is correct
Financial impact is a common language for business decisions.
- ✗
Present risk in qualitative terms only
Why it's wrong here
Qualitative terms lack the specificity needed for cost-benefit analysis.
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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.