Isaca Updated CISM Exam Questions and Answers by lucie

According to the CISM Review Manual, performing a risk assessment is the most important course of action for an information security manager during the due diligence phase of an acquisition, as it helps to identify and evaluate the potential threats, vulnerabilities and impacts that may affect the information assets of the target organization. A risk assessment also provides the basis for performing a gap analysis, reviewing the information security policies and awareness, and developing a remediation plan.

References = CISM Review Manual, 27th Edition, Chapter 3, Section 3.4.1, page 1411.

The correct answer is C because effective breach response requires timely, accurate, and coordinated communication among internal teams, management, legal, regulators, customers, service providers, and other affected stakeholders. A security breach can quickly become a business, legal, operational, and reputational issue. Without a defined communication plan, response activities may be delayed, inconsistent, or mishandled. Incident classification is important because it helps determine severity and response actions, but it is only part of the process. Chain of custody is essential when evidence may be used for legal or disciplinary action, but it does not by itself ensure effective breach response. Log monitoring helps detect or investigate incidents, but it is not the most important response element once a breach is confirmed. CISM incident management principles emphasize predefined communication, escalation, roles, responsibilities, and stakeholder notification. A communication plan helps ensure the right people receive the right information at the right time, supporting effective and coordinated breach response.

Recovery time objectives (RTOs) are the maximum acceptable time that an organization can be offline or unavailable after a disruption. RTOs are important to maintain integration among the incident response plan, business continuity plan (BCP), and disaster recovery plan (DRP) because they help align the recovery goals and strategies of each plan. By defining clear and realistic RTOs, an organization can ensure that its IT infrastructure and systems are restored as quickly as possible after a disaster, minimizing the impact on business operations and customer satisfaction.

References = CISM Manual, Chapter 6: Incident Response Planning, Section 6.2: Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs), page 971

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= Establishing metrics for each milestone is the best way to communicate the program’s effectiveness to stakeholders, as it provides a clear and measurable way to track the progress, performance, and outcomes of the information security governance framework. Metrics are quantifiable indicators that can be used to evaluate the achievement of specific objectives, goals, or standards. Metrics can also help to demonstrate the value, benefits, and return on investment of the information security program, as well as to identify and address the gaps, issues, or risks. Metrics for each milestone should be aligned with the organization’s strategy, vision, and mission, as well as with the expectations and needs of the stakeholders. Metrics for each milestone should also be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound), as well as consistent, reliable, and transparent.

The other options are not as important as establishing metrics for each milestone, as they do not provide a comprehensive and holistic way to communicate the program’s effectiveness to stakeholders. A control self-assessment (CSA) process is a technique to involve the staff in assessing the design, implementation, and effectiveness of the information security controls. It can help to increase the awareness, ownership, and accountability of the staff, as well as to identify and mitigate the risks. However, a CSA process alone is not enough to communicate the program’s effectiveness to stakeholders, as it does not measure the overall performance or maturity of the information security program. Automated reporting to stakeholders is a method to provide timely, accurate, and consistent information to the stakeholders about the status, results, and issues of the information security program. It can help to facilitate the communication, collaboration, and decision making among the stakeholders, as well as to ensure the compliance and transparency of the information security program. However, automated reporting alone is not enough to communicate the program’s effectiveness to stakeholders, as it does not evaluate the achievement or impact of the information security program. A monitoring process for the security policy is a process to ensure that the security policy is implemented, enforced, and reviewed in accordance with the organization’s objectives, standards, and regulations. It can help to maintain the relevance, adequacy, and effectiveness of the security policy, as well as to incorporate the feedback, changes, and improvements. However, a monitoring process alone is not enough to communicate the program’s effectiveness to stakeholders, as it does not cover the other aspects of the information security program, such as governance, risk management, incident management, or business continuity. References =

CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, ISACA, 2022, pp. 211-212, 215-216, 233-234, 237-238.

CISM Questions, Answers & Explanations Database, ISACA, 2022, QID 1018.

CISM domain 1: Information security governance [Updated 2022], Infosec, 1.

Key Performance Indicators for Security Governance, Part 1, ISACA Journal, Volume 6, 2020, 2.