- A
Follow industry benchmarks without adjustment
Why wrong: Benchmarks may not reflect the organization's unique risk profile.
- B
Use a risk-based approach aligned to business impact
Risk-based prioritization ensures investments address the highest risks.
- C
Prioritize based on the cost of security controls
Why wrong: Cost alone does not reflect risk reduction value.
- D
Allocate budget equally across all security domains
Why wrong: Equal allocation ignores varying risk levels.
Question 549 of 905
CISM Information Security Governance Practice Question
This CISM practice question tests your understanding of information security governance. 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 organization is developing an information security strategy aligned with business objectives. Which of the following is the BEST approach to prioritize security investments?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
✓
Use a risk-based approach aligned to business impact
A risk-based approach aligns security investments with the organization's risk appetite, ensuring resources are directed to the most critical areas.
Key principle: OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Follow industry benchmarks without adjustment
Why it's wrong here
Benchmarks may not reflect the organization's unique risk profile.
- ✓
Use a risk-based approach aligned to business impact
Why this is correct
Risk-based prioritization ensures investments address the highest risks.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
- ✗
Prioritize based on the cost of security controls
Why it's wrong here
Cost alone does not reflect risk reduction value.
- ✗
Allocate budget equally across all security domains
Why it's wrong here
Equal allocation ignores varying risk levels.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: OSPF can fail even when IP connectivity looks correct
OSPF neighbour formation depends on matching areas, timers, network type, authentication and passive-interface behaviour. Do not choose an answer only because the devices can ping.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OSPF questions usually test the details that control adjacency and route selection. Read the neighbour state, area, router ID and interface configuration before deciding what is wrong.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
- Router ID selection can affect neighbour relationships and LSDB output.
- OSPF cost influences the preferred path.
- A route can appear in OSPF information but not become the installed route.
TExam Day Tips
- Check area mismatch first when OSPF adjacency fails.
- Review passive interfaces when a network is advertised but no neighbour forms.
- Use show ip ospf neighbor and show ip route clues carefully.
Key takeaway
OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
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. OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough. 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.
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related CISM OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISM question test?
Information Security Governance — This question tests Information Security Governance — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a risk-based approach aligned to business impact — A risk-based approach aligns security investments with the organization's risk appetite, ensuring resources are directed to the most critical areas.
What should I do if I get this CISM question wrong?
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related CISM OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
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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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