ISC2 CC Security Principles Practice Question
What is the difference between due care and due diligence in security governance?
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
✓
Due care refers to implementing security controls; due diligence refers to investigating risks and verifying controls
Due care is the minimum standard of care (implementing basic security), while due diligence is investigating before acting (e.g., vendor assessments).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Due care is proactive; due diligence is reactive
Why it's wrong here
Both can be proactive; due diligence is about investigation.
- ✗
They are synonymous
Why it's wrong here
They have distinct meanings in security governance.
- ✓
Due care refers to implementing security controls; due diligence refers to investigating risks and verifying controls
Why this is correct
Due care is about doing what a reasonable person would do; due diligence is about assessing and verifying.
- ✗
Due diligence is required by law; due care is voluntary
Why it's wrong here
Both may be legal expectations; not a clear distinction.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to Security Principles
Key term
Security governance
Security governance is the framework of rules, policies, and processes that an organization uses to align its cybersecurity activities with its business goals and legal obligations.
Key term
Standard
A standard is an agreed-upon set of rules, guidelines, or specifications that ensure consistency, compatibility, and quality across IT products, services, and processes.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CC exam.