CISM Information Security Governance Practice Question
A security awareness programme is being evaluated. Which metric BEST indicates a positive security culture?
⚠ Common exam trap
CISM often tests the distinction between compliance metrics (training completion, violation counts) and culture metrics (voluntary reporting) — candidates pick training completion because it sounds positive, but it measures exposure, not culture.
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
✓
Number of security incidents reported
A rising number of security incidents reported by employees is a leading indicator of a healthy security culture, because it shows people recognize and feel safe reporting issues rather than hiding them. This metric reflects engagement and trust, not just compliance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Number of policy violations
Why it's wrong here
Violation counts measure failures against policy and are influenced by detection capability, reporting willingness and policy scope, so they do not isolate culture. It is tempting because fewer violations intuitively suggests better behaviour, but the metric conflates enforcement activity with cultural health.
- ✗
Percentage of employees who completed training
Why it's wrong here
Completion percentage records attendance at training, which demonstrates exposure to awareness content rather than changed behaviour or attitude. It is tempting because it is easy to collect and universally tracked, but completion is an activity metric; culture is better evidenced by reporting rates and reduced incident recurrence.
- ✓
Number of security incidents reported
Why this is correct
A rising number of reported security incidents signals that staff recognise and report suspicious activity rather than hide it, reflecting trust and awareness. This behavioural indicator demonstrates a healthier security culture than absence of reports, which may indicate under-reporting.
- ✗
Phishing simulation click rate
Why it's wrong here
Click rate measures how many recipients still fall for simulated lures, so a falling rate reflects reduced susceptibility rather than a positive culture of reporting and ownership. It is tempting because it is quantifiable and phishing-focused, but it captures failure frequency, not the reporting behaviour that indicates culture.
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About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISACA exam blueprint
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.