- A
General Counsel (GC)
GC handles legal and regulatory matters.
- B
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
CISO leads the technical response and sits on the CMT.
- C
Security analyst
Why wrong: Security analysts are part of the IR team, not CMT.
- D
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
CEO provides strategic direction.
- E
Forensic investigator
Why wrong: Forensic investigators are technical resources, not CMT members.
Question 901 of 905
CISM Incident Management Practice Question
This CISM practice question tests your understanding of incident 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 THREE of the following are appropriate members of a crisis management team (CMT) for a major cybersecurity incident? (Select three.)
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
✓
General Counsel (GC)
The General Counsel (GC) is a critical member of the CMT because a major cybersecurity incident (e.g., a data breach involving PII) triggers legal obligations under regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or SOX. The GC provides real-time advice on legal hold, breach notification timelines, and attorney-client privilege, ensuring the organization's response does not create additional liability or waive legal protections.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
General Counsel (GC)
Why this is correct
GC handles legal and regulatory matters.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Why this is correct
CISO leads the technical response and sits on the CMT.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Security analyst
Why it's wrong here
Security analysts are part of the IR team, not CMT.
- ✓
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Why this is correct
CEO provides strategic direction.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Forensic investigator
Why it's wrong here
Forensic investigators are technical resources, not CMT members.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing operational roles (Security Analyst, Forensic Investigator) with strategic, decision-making CMT members, leading candidates to select technical responders who execute tasks rather than executives who govern the incident response.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The CMT operates at the strategic level, distinct from the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT). While the CSIRT handles technical containment (e.g., isolating hosts via EDR, blocking IPs at the firewall), the CMT—including the CEO, CISO, and GC—makes decisions on public disclosure, regulatory reporting (e.g., SEC 8-K filing within 4 business days under new rules), and business continuity activation. The CEO provides ultimate authority for resource commitment, such as authorizing a $2M ransom payment or a full system shutdown.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISM question test?
Incident Management — This question tests Incident Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: General Counsel (GC) — The General Counsel (GC) is a critical member of the CMT because a major cybersecurity incident (e.g., a data breach involving PII) triggers legal obligations under regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or SOX. The GC provides real-time advice on legal hold, breach notification timelines, and attorney-client privilege, ensuring the organization's response does not create additional liability or waive legal protections.
What should I do if I get this CISM question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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