CISM Information Security Program Practice Question
Exhibit
Security Program Dashboard: - Patch Compliance (30-day window): 85% - Critical Vulnerability Remediation (48h): 95% - High-Risk Vulnerability Remediation (60-day): 88% - Risk Acceptance: 3% of findings - Incident Response Plan Test: Annual, last test 14 months ago.
Refer to the exhibit. The CISO wants to improve the program. Which recommendation BEST addresses the main gap shown in the dashboard?
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
✓
Implement automated patching for high-risk vulnerabilities
The dashboard shows high-risk vulnerability remediation at 88%, which is below the target. Implementing automated patching for high-risk vulnerabilities would directly address this gap by ensuring faster and more consistent remediation. Option B is incorrect because reducing the compliance target does not fix the underlying issue. Option C is incorrect because critical vulnerability remediation is already high. Option D is incorrect because increasing patch frequency for all systems may not specifically target the high-risk vulnerability gap.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Implement automated patching for high-risk vulnerabilities
Why this is correct
Automation can help reduce the 12% that exceed the 60-day window.
- ✗
Reduce the compliance target for high-risk vulnerabilities to 90 days
Why it's wrong here
Lowering targets does not improve actual performance.
- ✗
Focus on critical vulnerability remediation
Why it's wrong here
Critical remediation is already at 95%; improvement needed on high-risk.
- ✗
Increase patch frequency for all systems
Why it's wrong here
Patch compliance is 85%, which may be acceptable; the gap is high-risk remediation time.
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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.