CISM Information Security Program Practice Question
You are the information security program manager for a government agency. The agency has a highly regulated environment and is in the process of updating its incident response plan. During a tabletop exercise, it becomes clear that the detection capabilities are strong, but the response coordination between IT, legal, and public affairs is poor. This caused delays in containing a simulated ransomware attack. The existing program includes an incident response policy but no formal procedures for cross-department coordination. The agency's leadership wants quick improvement with minimal budget impact. What should you recommend?
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
✓
Develop a detailed incident response coordination plan with defined roles and communication channels, and conduct quarterly joint exercises.
Correct answer is D because developing a detailed incident response coordination plan with defined roles and communication channels, and conducting quarterly joint exercises, directly addresses the coordination gap at low cost. Option A (outsourcing) is expensive and may not align with government requirements. Option B (dedicated team) could be costly and does not leverage existing staff. Option C (new SIEM) does not fix coordination.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Outsource incident response to a managed security service provider (MSSP).
Why it's wrong here
Expensive and may not integrate well with internal departments.
- ✗
Create a dedicated incident response team that reports directly to the CISO.
Why it's wrong here
May improve response but does not solve cross-department coordination without procedures.
- ✗
Purchase a new SIEM solution to improve detection accuracy.
Why it's wrong here
Detection is already strong; the issue is coordination.
- ✓
Develop a detailed incident response coordination plan with defined roles and communication channels, and conduct quarterly joint exercises.
Why this is correct
Cost-effective and directly improves coordination.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on CISM
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. After a data breach, the CISO is updating the incident response plan. Which of the following is MOST critical to include?
hard- ✓ A.Communication templates for stakeholders
- B.Technical forensic procedures
- C.Root cause analysis methodology
- D.Legal hold instructions for data preservation
Why A: After a data breach, the incident response plan must prioritize clear, consistent communication to manage stakeholder expectations, regulatory notifications, and legal repercussions. Communication templates ensure that notifications to customers, regulators, and executives are accurate, timely, and compliant with breach notification laws (e.g., GDPR Article 33, state-specific 72-hour requirements). Without predefined templates, the response team risks delays or inconsistent messaging, which can exacerbate reputational damage and legal liability.
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.