CISM Information Security Programme Practice Question
During third-party risk assessment, a vendor is found to have access to sensitive customer data. The vendor's own supply chain includes a critical fourth-party component. What is the BEST way to address this nth-party risk?
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
✓
Request the vendor to assess and pass through security requirements to its suppliers
Requiring the vendor to manage its sub-suppliers through contractual flow-down ensures the organization's risk requirements extend throughout the supply chain.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Ignore the fourth party as it is outside the organization's scope
Why it's wrong here
Nth-party risk can still affect the organization.
- ✗
Conduct a direct assessment of the fourth party
Why it's wrong here
Often impractical; the vendor has direct relationship.
- ✗
Terminate the contract with the vendor
Why it's wrong here
Too drastic; risk can be managed.
- ✓
Request the vendor to assess and pass through security requirements to its suppliers
Why this is correct
Contractual flow-down ensures requirements are met down the chain.
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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.