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CISM Practice Question: Which TWO of the following are key indicators…
Which TWO of the following are key indicators that an organization's information security governance is inadequate?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse operational symptoms (like low budget or high incidents) with governance failures, when CISM specifically tests whether the organization has the strategic oversight mechanisms—such as policy approval processes and risk appetite—in place.
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
✓
Frequent changes to security policies without approval
Frequent changes to security policies without approval (Option B) indicate a breakdown in governance because it shows that the policy lifecycle—creation, review, approval, and communication—is not being followed. Without a formal change control process, policies become inconsistent, unenforceable, and may conflict with regulatory requirements, directly undermining the governance framework's authority and accountability.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Low budget for security awareness
Why it's wrong here
Budget level is not a direct indicator of governance adequacy.
- ✓
Frequent changes to security policies without approval
Why this is correct
Indicates lack of governance process over policy changes.
- ✗
High number of security incidents
Why it's wrong here
Could result from many factors, not solely governance.
- ✗
Use of multiple antivirus solutions
Why it's wrong here
Operational choice, not governance indicator.
- ✓
Absence of a risk appetite statement
Why this is correct
A fundamental governance document missing.
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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.