Quick Answer
The answer is the risk owner. This role is primarily responsible for ensuring that information security risks are identified, assessed, and managed within a business unit because the risk owner holds accountability for risk management decisions and the acceptance of residual risk within their specific domain or function. On the Certified Information Security Manager CISM exam, this concept tests your understanding of RACI-style accountability versus operational responsibility, often appearing in questions that contrast the risk owner with the CISO, board, or data owner. A common trap is confusing the risk owner with the data owner, but remember that data owners focus on classification and protection of data assets, not the full spectrum of business risks. To lock this in, use the mnemonic “ROAR” – Risk Owner Accepts Residual – meaning the risk owner is the one who formally signs off on whether a risk is tolerable.
This CISM practice question tests your understanding of information security risk management. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which role is primarily responsible for ensuring that information security risks are identified, assessed, and managed within a business unit?
Data owner
Why wrong: Data owner focuses on data, not all business risks.
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Why wrong: CISO owns the security program, not individual risks.
Board of directors
Why wrong: Board provides oversight, not operational risk management.
Risk owner
Risk owner is accountable for specific risks.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Risk owner
Option D is correct because risk owners are accountable for risk management decisions within their domain. Option A is wrong because the CISO oversees the security program but does not own specific risks. Option B is wrong because the board provides governance, not day-to-day risk management. Option C is wrong because the data owner is responsible for data classification and protection, not all risks.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Data owner
Why it's wrong here
Data owner focuses on data, not all business risks.
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Why it's wrong here
CISO owns the security program, not individual risks.
Board of directors
Why it's wrong here
Board provides oversight, not operational risk management.
Risk owner
Why this is correct
Risk owner is accountable for specific risks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which CISM exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Information Security Risk Management — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Information Security Risk Management — This question tests Information Security Risk Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Risk owner — Option D is correct because risk owners are accountable for risk management decisions within their domain. Option A is wrong because the CISO oversees the security program but does not own specific risks. Option B is wrong because the board provides governance, not day-to-day risk management. Option C is wrong because the data owner is responsible for data classification and protection, not all risks.
Identify which CISM exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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