Question 168 of 871
CISM Key factor in exception process Practice Question
An organization's information security program includes a formal exception process. When reviewing an exception request to bypass a critical control, what is the MOST important factor for the information security manager to consider?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often focus on operational or business factors (cost, user count, duration) instead of the core risk management principle that the residual risk must be acceptable to the organization.
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
✓
The residual risk after compensating controls
The most important factor when reviewing an exception request to bypass a critical control is the residual risk after compensating controls. This ensures that the organization's risk appetite is not exceeded and that the compensating controls adequately mitigate the risk to an acceptable level, as required by frameworks like ISO 27001 and NIST SP 800-53.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The cost of implementing the control
Why it's wrong here
Cost is a factor but not the most important; risk acceptance is paramount.
- ✗
The number of users affected by the exception
Why it's wrong here
Number of users is less important than the risk exposure.
- ✗
The duration of the exception
Why it's wrong here
Duration matters but is secondary to the risk level.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The CISM exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓The residual risk after compensating controlsCorrect answer▾
✗The cost of implementing the controlWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Cost is a factor but not the most important; risk acceptance is paramount.
✗The number of users affected by the exceptionWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Number of users is less important than the risk exposure.
✗The duration of the exceptionWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Duration matters but is secondary to the risk level.
Analysis generated from the official CISMblueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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.
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