mediumMultiple Choice
CISM Practice Question: TechStart, a cloud-based startup, has rapidly…
TechStart, a cloud-based startup, has rapidly grown from 50 to 500 employees. It lacks a formal security governance structure. The CEO asks the CISO to develop one. The CISO finds that the company's culture values speed over compliance. The board expects a governance framework within three months. What is the most practical approach?
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
✓
Start with a lean governance model, focusing on critical assets and compliance requirements
The most practical approach because it balances the need for governance with the company's culture of speed. Starting with a lean governance model allows the organization to quickly establish controls for critical assets and meet compliance requirements without overwhelming the team. Option A is too heavy; a full COBIT implementation would be disruptive and counter to the culture. Option B is risky as it postpones governance, potentially leading to non-compliance. Option D focuses only on technical controls, ignoring the broader governance framework needed.
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 a full COBIT framework immediately
Why it's wrong here
A full COBIT implementation demands extensive process mapping and maturity assessment, which cannot complete within three months alongside a speed-focused culture. It is tempting because COBIT is a recognised IT governance framework, and it would suit a large, regulated enterprise with dedicated governance staff and a multi-year horizon.
- ✗
Defer governance until after the next product launch
Why it's wrong here
Deferring leaves the company without any governance while it continues growing, so risk ownership and accountability remain undefined past the board's deadline. It is tempting because it avoids slowing the launch, and it would be defensible only if an interim framework were already operating and the launch carried no new regulatory exposure.
- ✓
Start with a lean governance model, focusing on critical assets and compliance requirements
Why this is correct
A lean governance model delivers immediate risk reduction by prioritising critical assets and regulatory obligations, matching TechStart's speed-over-compliance culture and the board's three-month deadline. It avoids the delay of a comprehensive framework while establishing a foundation for later maturity.
- ✗
Focus solely on technical controls like firewalls and IAM
Why it's wrong here
Technical controls alone deliver no governance structure: no policies, roles, risk appetite or oversight, so the board's framework requirement goes unmet. It is tempting because firewalls and IAM produce quick, visible hardening, and it would be the right focus when remediating specific technical gaps in an already-governed organisation.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 924 original CISM practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. 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.