CISM Information Security Risk Management Practice Question
Which THREE of the following are common challenges when implementing a risk management program in an organization? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
ISACA CISM often tests the distinction between implementation challenges (e.g., lack of support, resistance, quantification difficulty) and operational symptoms (e.g., too many controls), so candidates mistakenly select 'too many controls' because it sounds like a problem, but it is not a root challenge of program implementation.
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
✓
Lack of senior management support
Lack of senior management support (A) is a common challenge because risk management programs require executive sponsorship to enforce policies, allocate budget, and drive cross-departmental compliance. Without C-level backing, risk assessments and remediation efforts often stall due to insufficient authority and resources.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Lack of senior management support
Why this is correct
Without top-down support, the program may lack resources and authority.
- ✓
Inability to quantify risks in financial terms
Why this is correct
Quantification is difficult but necessary for business alignment.
- ✗
Too many controls implemented too quickly
Why it's wrong here
This is not a common challenge; usually the opposite.
- ✓
Resistance to change from business units
Why this is correct
Business units may resist risk management processes.
- ✗
Overly detailed risk appetite
Why it's wrong here
Risk appetite should be defined, but overly detailed is not a common challenge.
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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.