CISM Information Security Governance Practice Question
An organization has a decentralized governance model where each business unit manages its own security. What is a key challenge of this model?
⚠ Common exam trap
CISM often tests the ability to distinguish benefits from challenges — candidates see 'rapid decision-making' and pick it as a challenge, but it is actually a benefit of decentralization, not a drawback.
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
✓
Inconsistent security policies and controls across units
In a decentralized governance model, each business unit manages its own security, which leads to inconsistent policies, controls, and risk postures across the organization. This fragmentation makes it difficult to enforce enterprise-wide standards, aggregate risk, and demonstrate compliance. The key challenge is the lack of uniformity and coordination, not cost or speed.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Lower cost due to elimination of central security team
Why it's wrong here
Lower cost is a potential benefit, not a challenge, so it does not answer what the model makes difficult. Decentralised governance typically raises duplication and inconsistent controls across units. The option is tempting because cost reduction is a genuine argument for decentralisation, but the question asks for a drawback.
- ✗
Rapid decision-making due to fewer layers
Why it's wrong here
Rapid decision-making is a benefit of decentralisation, not a challenge, so it cannot answer a question asking for a key challenge. It is tempting because reduced approval layers genuinely speed up security decisions, which is why decentralised governance suits agile business units needing fast, local responses.
- ✗
Increased central control and uniformity
Why it's wrong here
Increased central control and uniformity describes centralised governance, the opposite of the stem's decentralised model. Decentralisation's challenge is inconsistent standards and duplicated effort across business units. The option is tempting because uniformity sounds like a governance goal, but it is what decentralisation sacrifices, not what it creates.
- ✓
Inconsistent security policies and controls across units
Why this is correct
Decentralised governance lets each business unit set its own controls, so without a central authority enforcing baselines, policies diverge in strength and coverage. That fragmentation directly satisfies the stem's challenge: inconsistent security policies and controls across units, raising gaps and complicating enterprise-wide risk reporting.
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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.