CISM Information Security Governance Practice Question
An organization is implementing a security awareness program. Which metric is MOST indicative of a positive security culture?
⚠ Common exam trap
CISM often tests the difference between leading and lagging indicators, and candidates may mistakenly choose low incident counts or low phishing click rates as signs of a positive culture, overlooking that these can be misleading without considering reporting behavior.
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
✓
High near-miss reporting rate
A high near-miss reporting rate is the most indicative metric of a positive security culture because it demonstrates that employees are proactively identifying and reporting potential security issues before they escalate into incidents. This behavior reflects trust in the reporting process, psychological safety, and a collective commitment to security—key attributes of a mature security culture. Unlike lagging indicators such as incident counts or phishing click rates, near-miss reporting is a leading indicator that shows engagement and vigilance. It signals that security is integrated into daily operations rather than merely compliance-driven.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Low number of incidents caused by human error
Why it's wrong here
Human-error incident counts are lagging and confounded by reporting culture, so low figures may reflect under-reporting rather than genuine awareness. It is tempting because incident reduction is the programme's ultimate goal, and it is valid as a long-term outcome indicator.
- ✗
Low phishing simulation click rate
Why it's wrong here
Click rate measures one simulated channel and can drop through technical filtering or user suspicion rather than genuine recognition. It is tempting because phishing simulations are measurable and repeatable, and click rate is valid for tuning simulation difficulty.
- ✓
High near-miss reporting rate
Why this is correct
Near-miss reporting reflects employees who recognise and voluntarily disclose potential incidents without fear of blame, evidencing genuine engagement rather than passive compliance. High rates show the workforce acts as a detection sensor, which is the strongest cultural indicator.
- ✗
High training completion percentage
Why it's wrong here
Completion percentage records attendance, not behaviour; staff can finish modules while still clicking phishing links or mishandling data. It is tempting because completion is easy to measure and report, and it is a valid compliance metric for audit evidence.
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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
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