CISM Incident Management Practice Question
An organization has experienced a ransomware attack that has encrypted critical servers. The incident response team is unable to contain the incident within the maximum tolerable downtime (MTD). Who has the authority to declare a disaster and activate the business continuity plan?
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
✓
The chief executive officer (CEO) or designated crisis management team
The BC/DR plan typically specifies a designated authority, such as the CEO or a crisis management team, to declare a disaster when MTD is breached.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The incident response manager
Why it's wrong here
The IR manager leads response but may not have authority to declare a disaster.
- ✓
The chief executive officer (CEO) or designated crisis management team
Why this is correct
The CEO or CMT usually has authority to activate BC/DR.
- ✗
The business continuity manager
Why it's wrong here
The BC manager facilitates the plan but does not decide activation.
- ✗
The chief information security officer (CISO)
Why it's wrong here
The CISO may be part of the decision but typically not the sole authority.
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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.