- A
Comparing the proposed budget to industry benchmarks
Why wrong: Benchmarks show alignment but not value.
- B
Calculating the ROI by estimating breach avoidance and compliance cost savings
ROI quantifies the financial benefit of security investments.
- C
Highlighting the number of security tools currently in use
Why wrong: Tool count does not directly correlate with value.
- D
Listing all security certifications held by the team
Why wrong: Certifications do not justify budget increase.
Question 808 of 905
CISM Information Security Programme Practice Question
This CISM practice question tests your understanding of information security programme. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An information security manager is asked to justify an increase in the security budget. Which approach BEST demonstrates the value of the security program?
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
✓
Calculating the ROI by estimating breach avoidance and compliance cost savings
Presenting the return on investment (ROI) by quantifying avoided breach costs and compliance savings provides a business case for budget increases.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Comparing the proposed budget to industry benchmarks
Why it's wrong here
Benchmarks show alignment but not value.
- ✓
Calculating the ROI by estimating breach avoidance and compliance cost savings
Why this is correct
ROI quantifies the financial benefit of security investments.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Highlighting the number of security tools currently in use
Why it's wrong here
Tool count does not directly correlate with value.
- ✗
Listing all security certifications held by the team
Why it's wrong here
Certifications do not justify budget increase.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Benchmarks show alignment but not value.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the CISM exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which CISM exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
Information Security Programme — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Information Security Programme practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
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All CISM questions
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Certified Information Security Manager CISM study guide
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISM question test?
Information Security Programme — This question tests Information Security Programme — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Calculating the ROI by estimating breach avoidance and compliance cost savings — Presenting the return on investment (ROI) by quantifying avoided breach costs and compliance savings provides a business case for budget increases.
What should I do if I get this CISM question wrong?
Identify which CISM exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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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