CISM Information Security Program Practice Question
An organization has multiple business units with different risk tolerances. How should the security program address this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse 'minimum baseline' (Option C) with risk-based differentiation, not realizing that a baseline still imposes a uniform minimum that fails to accommodate units with lower risk tolerance that require less stringent controls.
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
✓
Develop risk-based security policies for each business unit
A is correct because risk-based security policies allow each business unit to tailor controls to its specific risk appetite, ensuring that high-risk units implement stronger safeguards (e.g., stricter access controls, enhanced logging) while low-risk units avoid unnecessary overhead. This aligns with the CISM principle that security governance must accommodate varying risk tolerances through differentiated policy frameworks rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Develop risk-based security policies for each business unit
Why this is correct
Tailored policies align with varying risk tolerances.
- ✗
Apply a single enterprise-wide security policy
Why it's wrong here
One policy may be too restrictive or too lax for some units.
- ✗
Define a minimum baseline and allow units to exceed it
Why it's wrong here
A baseline may not address high-risk units adequately.
- ✗
Decentralize security management to each unit
Why it's wrong here
Decentralization can lead to inconsistency and gaps.
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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.