The answer is to establish a policy review committee with business unit representatives to align policy with operational needs. This is the most effective approach because compliance failures often stem from policies that conflict with real-world business processes, forcing users to bypass them; by adjusting the policy to be both secure and practical through direct input from those who execute the work, you address the root cause of misalignment rather than merely treating symptoms like lack of awareness or enforcement. On the CISM exam, this question tests your understanding that governance is about enabling business objectives, not imposing rigid controls—a common trap is choosing awareness training or stricter penalties, which ignore the fundamental disconnect between policy and daily operations. To improve policy compliance by aligning with business, remember the memory tip: “Policy must fit the process, not fight it.”
CISM Information Security Governance Practice Question
This CISM practice question tests your understanding of information security governance. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
During an audit, it was found that the organization's information security policy is not being followed by business units. Which of the following is the MOST effective way for the information security manager to improve compliance?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Establish a policy review committee with business unit representatives to align policy with operational needs.
The most effective way to improve compliance is to align the policy with operational realities by involving business unit representatives in a policy review committee. When policies conflict with business processes, users will bypass them; adjusting the policy to be both secure and practical increases voluntary adherence. This addresses the root cause—policy misalignment—rather than treating symptoms like lack of awareness or enforcement.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Establish a policy review committee with business unit representatives to align policy with operational needs.
Why this is correct
Involving stakeholders increases buy-in and practical compliance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Provide additional security awareness training focused on policy requirements.
Why it's wrong here
Training is helpful but may not be sufficient if policies are not aligned with business processes.
✗
Escalate non-compliance to senior management for disciplinary action.
Why it's wrong here
Disciplinary action may create resistance and does not address root causes.
✗
Increase the frequency of automated policy compliance checks.
Why it's wrong here
Monitoring alone does not improve compliance; it only detects non-compliance.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose awareness training (B) as a quick fix, but CISM emphasizes that non-compliance due to policy misalignment requires policy revision, not just more training or enforcement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In governance frameworks like ISO 27001, policy effectiveness is measured by adherence, not just existence. A policy review committee (often part of a steering committee) uses a feedback loop where business unit liaisons provide operational constraints, allowing the security manager to adjust controls (e.g., reducing password rotation frequency from 30 to 90 days if NIST SP 800-63B allows) while maintaining risk acceptance. This aligns with the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model, where 'Check' reveals non-compliance and 'Act' adjusts the policy itself.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the CISM exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Information Security Governance — This question tests Information Security Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Establish a policy review committee with business unit representatives to align policy with operational needs. — The most effective way to improve compliance is to align the policy with operational realities by involving business unit representatives in a policy review committee. When policies conflict with business processes, users will bypass them; adjusting the policy to be both secure and practical increases voluntary adherence. This addresses the root cause—policy misalignment—rather than treating symptoms like lack of awareness or enforcement.
What should I do if I get this CISM question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.