CISM Information Security Program Practice Question
An organization's information security program has been in place for two years. During a recent audit, several findings indicated that security controls are not consistently applied across business units. The CISO has been asked to improve the program. Which of the following should the CISO do FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISACA often tests the principle that a risk assessment must precede any control implementation or policy change, tempting candidates to jump to automation or enforcement actions without first understanding the specific gaps.
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
✓
Conduct a risk assessment to identify gaps and prioritize remediation.
Conducting a risk assessment first (Option C) is the correct initial step because it systematically identifies where controls are failing or missing across business units, quantifies the associated risks, and prioritizes remediation based on business impact. Without this foundational analysis, any subsequent actions—such as automation, policy updates, or new controls—would lack direction and could waste resources on low-priority areas. This aligns with the CISM program lifecycle, where risk assessment drives all other program improvements.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Automate security compliance monitoring across all business units.
Why it's wrong here
Automation is a tool, but without understanding the current state, it may not address inconsistencies.
- ✗
Update the information security policy to mandate compliance.
Why it's wrong here
A policy update alone does not ensure consistent application; enforcement and monitoring are needed.
- ✓
Conduct a risk assessment to identify gaps and prioritize remediation.
Why this is correct
A risk assessment provides the basis for prioritizing controls and ensuring consistent application based on risk.
- ✗
Implement additional security controls across all business units.
Why it's wrong here
Implementing controls without a risk assessment may not address the actual risks and could be inefficient.
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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.