CISM Information Security Program Practice Question
During a security audit, several deviations from policy are found. What should the security manager do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to 'update the policy' (Option C) because they assume the policy is outdated, but CISM emphasizes that policy deviations are typically symptoms of deeper issues, and immediate updates without root cause analysis can create compliance gaps or bypass the formal policy lifecycle.
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
✓
Investigate the root cause of the deviations
The security manager must first investigate the root cause of the deviations to understand why the policy was not followed. This aligns with the corrective action phase of the incident response lifecycle, where identifying the underlying issue (e.g., misconfigured access controls, lack of awareness, or technical gaps) is essential before implementing any remediation. Without root cause analysis, subsequent actions like policy updates or disciplinary measures may address symptoms rather than the actual problem, leading to recurring non-compliance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Accept the risk and move on
Why it's wrong here
Accepting risk without analysis is not proactive.
- ✓
Investigate the root cause of the deviations
Why this is correct
Root cause analysis identifies systemic issues and informs corrective actions.
- ✗
Update the policies immediately
Why it's wrong here
Updating policies without understanding the root cause may not address underlying issues.
- ✗
Take disciplinary action against responsible employees
Why it's wrong here
Discipline should be considered after understanding the context.
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About these practice questions
This CISM question is part of Courseiva's 871-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.