CISM Information Security Programme Practice Question
A security awareness program includes phishing simulations. After six months, the click rate has decreased from 15% to 8%, but the number of reported phishing emails has also dropped. The CISO wants to measure the effectiveness of the program. Which metric would best indicate sustained improvement in security behavior?
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
✓
Phishing click rate trend over the last 12 months
A sustained low click rate over time, with increasing or stable reporting rates, is a leading indicator of improved security awareness. A decreasing click rate alone may be confounded by other factors, but combined with reporting trends it shows behavioral change.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Pass rate on post-training knowledge assessments
Why it's wrong here
Knowledge assessments measure understanding, not sustained behavior change.
- ✗
Number of security incidents caused by phishing
Why it's wrong here
Incident count is a lagging indicator and may be affected by other controls.
- ✗
Number of employees who completed training
Why it's wrong here
Completion rate is a process metric, not a behavior indicator.
- ✓
Phishing click rate trend over the last 12 months
Why this is correct
A sustained downward trend in click rate indicates improved recognition and behavior.
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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.