CISM Information Security Program Practice Question
An organization has implemented a data classification policy but notices that employees often mark documents as 'internal use only' even when they contain personally identifiable information (PII). Which of the following is the most effective corrective action for the information 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
✓
Deploy a data loss prevention (DLP) system that automatically classifies documents based on content inspection.
Deploying a data loss prevention (DLP) system that automatically classifies documents based on content inspection directly addresses the root cause of misclassification by removing reliance on user judgment. Option A (policy revision) alone does not enforce compliance. Option B (audits and reprimands) is punitive and may not change behavior. Option C (training) can help but is less effective than automation for consistent classification.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Revise the data classification policy to simplify categories.
Why it's wrong here
Simplifying categories does not correct misclassification; employees already apply a label, so the failure is judgement, not complexity. It is tempting when policies are unwieldy, but the stem shows PII being marked 'internal use only', which requires clearer handling rules and accountability rather than fewer categories.
- ✗
Conduct random audits and reprimand employees who misclassify data.
Why it's wrong here
Random audits with reprimands punish errors after the fact and do not build the capability to recognise PII or apply the correct label. It is tempting as visible enforcement, but the stem shows a systemic labelling failure, so the programme needs controls that verify classification accuracy and feed findings back into the policy.
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Increase the frequency of data classification training for all employees.
Why it's wrong here
More frequent training repeats the same awareness content without verifying that employees apply the classification criteria correctly to PII. It is tempting as a low-cost response, but the persistent mislabelling indicates the programme needs monitoring and enforcement mechanisms that detect and correct misclassification, not additional sessions.
- ✓
Deploy a data loss prevention (DLP) system that automatically classifies documents based on content inspection.
Why this is correct
Content inspection detects PII patterns such as national insurance numbers or payment card data, then applies the correct classification label automatically, removing reliance on employee judgement. This directly satisfies the stem's constraint: staff mislabel PII documents as 'internal use only'. DLP enforces classification at creation, closing the human error gap.
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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.