CISSP Security and Risk Management Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security and risk management. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company wants to ensure that its security policy is effectively enforced across all departments. Currently, the policy is published on the intranet and included in the employee handbook. However, the security team notices that many employees are not following the policy, leading to security incidents. Which of the following would be the most effective way to improve policy enforcement?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Require annual signed acknowledgment of the policy
Requiring annual signed acknowledgment ensures that employees are aware of and agree to comply with the policy. This creates a record of acceptance and can be used in disciplinary actions. Publishing on intranet or handbook alone does not guarantee reading or acceptance. Random audits with penalties may enforce compliance but without awareness, employees may not know what is expected.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Include the policy in the employee handbook
Why it's wrong here
Similar to intranet, it is passive; employees may not read it.
✓
Require annual signed acknowledgment of the policy
Why this is correct
Active acknowledgment ensures awareness and creates accountability.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Conduct random audits and penalize non-compliance
Why it's wrong here
Enforcement without prior awareness is unfair and less effective; training and acknowledgment should precede audits.
✗
Publish the policy on the intranet only
Why it's wrong here
Passive distribution does not ensure employees read or understand the policy.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
Similar to intranet, it is passive; employees may not read it.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CISSP question in full detail.
Identify which CISSP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Security and Risk Management — This question tests Security and Risk Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Require annual signed acknowledgment of the policy — Requiring annual signed acknowledgment ensures that employees are aware of and agree to comply with the policy. This creates a record of acceptance and can be used in disciplinary actions. Publishing on intranet or handbook alone does not guarantee reading or acceptance. Random audits with penalties may enforce compliance but without awareness, employees may not know what is expected.
What should I do if I get this CISSP question wrong?
Identify which CISSP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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This CISSP 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 CISSP exam.
Question Discussion
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