CISM Incident Management Practice Question
During a P1 incident, the crisis management team (CMT) is activated and meets within the first hour. Which communication practice is most appropriate for the CMT to follow when providing updates to the board of directors?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse the need for technical accuracy with the board's need for strategic clarity, leading them to choose detailed technical updates (Option B) instead of concise, legally vetted status reports.
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
✓
Send a brief status report every hour, avoiding speculation and including legal counsel review
During a P1 incident, the CMT must provide timely, concise updates to the board to maintain trust and enable strategic decisions. Option A is correct because it balances frequency (hourly) with content discipline (avoiding speculation) and includes legal counsel review, which is critical for compliance and liability management. This aligns with the CISM Incident Management domain's emphasis on clear, non-technical communication to senior leadership.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Send a brief status report every hour, avoiding speculation and including legal counsel review
Why this is correct
This maintains timely communication while protecting confidentiality.
- ✗
Provide detailed technical updates every hour
Why it's wrong here
Technical details may not be appropriate for the board; focus on business impact.
- ✗
Provide speculative root cause analysis to demonstrate competence
Why it's wrong here
Speculation can be harmful and may create liability.
- ✗
Wait until the incident is fully understood before any communication
Why it's wrong here
Delayed communication can erode trust; timely updates are expected.
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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.