CISM Information Security Programme Practice Question
Which of the following is a LEADING indicator of security performance?
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
✓
Patch compliance percentage
Leading indicators predict future performance; patch compliance measures proactive risk reduction.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Cost of a data breach
Why it's wrong here
This is a lagging indicator.
- ✗
Mean time to detect (MTTD)
Why it's wrong here
This is a lagging indicator.
- ✗
Number of security incidents
Why it's wrong here
This is a lagging indicator.
- ✓
Patch compliance percentage
Why this is correct
Patch compliance is a leading indicator of vulnerability management effectiveness.
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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.