easyMultiple Select
CISM Practice Question: Which TWO of the following are primary…
Which TWO of the following are primary responsibilities of the board of directors with regard to information security governance? (Select exactly two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse governance (board-level strategic oversight) with management (operational execution), leading them to select tactical activities like vulnerability scanning or control implementation as board responsibilities.
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
✓
Ensuring security strategy aligns with business goals
Option C is correct because the board of directors is responsible for governance, which means ensuring that the organization's information security strategy is aligned with and supports the overall business goals and objectives. Option D is correct because setting and approving the organization's risk appetite—the amount and type of risk it is willing to accept—is a core governance responsibility that belongs to the board, which then guides management's security decisions. Options A, B, and E are incorrect because performing vulnerability scans, implementing security controls, and conducting daily security monitoring are operational, hands-on tasks carried out by security practitioners and management, not by the board of directors.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Performing vulnerability scans
Why it's wrong here
Vulnerability scanning is an operational task performed by security engineers, not a governance duty of the board. It is tempting because scanning underpins risk oversight, and boards do receive scan-derived metrics; however, the board's role is direction-setting and accountability, so hands-on scanning sits with management.
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Implementing security controls
Why it's wrong here
Implementing controls is an operational task executed by security and IT staff, not a board governance responsibility. It is tempting because boards approve security strategy and funding, but that is direction and oversight; actual control deployment sits with management and practitioners.
- ✓
Ensuring security strategy aligns with business goals
Why this is correct
The board owns strategic direction, so it must ensure the information security programme supports and enables business objectives rather than existing as an isolated technical function. This alignment duty is a core governance responsibility, distinct from the operational execution delegated to management.
- ✓
Approving the information security risk appetite
Why this is correct
Risk appetite defines how much security risk the organisation is willing to accept in pursuit of its objectives. Setting and approving that tolerance is a board-level governance decision, because it frames every subsequent risk treatment choice made by management.
- ✗
Conducting daily security monitoring
Why it's wrong here
Daily monitoring is an operational security function performed by analysts and tooling, not a governance duty of the board. It is tempting because boards need assurance that monitoring occurs, but that assurance is oversight; hands-on monitoring belongs to the security operations team under management direction.
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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.