easyMultiple Choice
CISM Practice Question: An organization's security governance committee…
An organization's security governance committee has approved a new security policy. What is the NEXT critical step to ensure the policy's effectiveness?
⚠ Common exam trap
CISM often tests the sequence of the policy lifecycle — candidates jump to enforcement or auditing because those sound more 'critical,' but communication and awareness must precede both.
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
✓
Communicate the policy to all relevant stakeholders and provide training.
After a policy is approved, the next critical step is to communicate it to all relevant stakeholders and provide training, because a policy that nobody knows about cannot be followed or enforced. Awareness and training are the bridge between approval and actual behavior change, and they are prerequisites for meaningful compliance measurement or enforcement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Implement technical controls to enforce the policy.
Why it's wrong here
Technical controls enforce only the portions of a policy that map to systems, leaving procedural and awareness obligations unaddressed; the policy must first be communicated to those it governs. Controls are tempting because they compel compliance automatically, and would be correct after rollout for enforceable technical requirements.
- ✗
Conduct an audit to measure compliance.
Why it's wrong here
Auditing measures whether controls already operate, so it presupposes implementation that has not yet occurred; the policy must first be communicated and operationalised. Auditing is tempting because it validates effectiveness, and would be correct once the policy has been deployed and running.
- ✓
Communicate the policy to all relevant stakeholders and provide training.
Why this is correct
Approved policy alone cannot change behaviour; effectiveness depends on awareness. Communicating to all relevant stakeholders and delivering training ensures every affected party understands their obligations, satisfying the governance committee's intent that the policy actually be followed and enforced across the organisation.
- ✗
Enforce disciplinary actions for non-compliance.
Why it's wrong here
Disciplinary action punishes breaches after the fact and cannot make an uncommunicated policy effective; staff must first know and understand its requirements. It is tempting as an enforcement lever, and would be correct once awareness exists and deliberate violations persist.
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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
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.