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CISM Practice Question: Which THREE of the following are essential…
Which THREE of the following are essential components of an information security governance framework?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISACA often tests the distinction between governance (strategic oversight) and management (operational execution), and the trap here is that candidates confuse operational processes like incident response or technical controls with governance framework components, leading them to select A or B instead of the correct strategic elements.
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
✓
Strategic alignment of security with business objectives.
Strategic alignment of security with business objectives (Option C) is essential because an information security governance framework must ensure that security initiatives directly support and enable the organization's mission and goals. Without this alignment, security becomes a siloed cost center rather than a strategic enabler, leading to misallocated resources and reduced executive sponsorship. This principle is foundational to the CISM governance domain, where security is viewed as a business function, not just a technical discipline.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
A process for conducting security incident response.
Why it's wrong here
Incident response is an operational process, not a governance component.
- ✗
Implementation of technical security controls such as firewalls.
Why it's wrong here
Technical controls are part of the security program, not governance.
- ✓
Strategic alignment of security with business objectives.
Why this is correct
Governance ensures security supports business goals.
- ✓
Defined roles and responsibilities for security management.
Why this is correct
Clear accountability is fundamental.
- ✓
Performance measurement and reporting mechanisms.
Why this is correct
Metrics and reporting enable oversight and improvement.
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About these practice questions
This CISM question is part of Courseiva's 871-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. 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.