CISM Exam Dumps - Isaca Certification Questions and Answers

 Ensuring current documentation of security processes is the best way to support information security management in the event of organizational changes in security personnel. Documentation of security processes provides a clear and consistent reference for the roles, responsibilities, procedures, and standards of the information security program. It helps to maintain the continuity and effectiveness of the security operations, as well as the compliance with the security policies and regulations. Documentation of security processes also facilitates the knowledge transfer and training of new or existing security personnel, as well as the communication and collaboration with other stakeholders. By ensuring current documentation of security processes, the information security manager can minimize the impact of organizational changes in security personnel, and ensure a smooth transition and alignment of the security program. References = CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 43, page 45.

The Information Security Manager ' s primary responsibility is to ensure that the organization ' s information assets are adequately protected. In this scenario, there is a conflict between the approved mobile access policy and industry best practices. Developing security standards based on a flawed policy could lead to significant security vulnerabilities.

Why the other options are not the best course of action:

A. Align the standards with the organizational policy: This would perpetuate the misalignment with best practices, potentially leaving the organization exposed to risks.

B. Align the standards with industry best practices: While this is ideal from a security perspective, it directly contradicts the approved policy, which could create operational and compliance issues.

D. Perform a cost-benefit analysis of aligning the standards to policy: A cost-benefit analysis might be useful at some point, but it does not address the fundamental issue of a policy that is not in line with best practices.

Key CISM Principles Reflected:

Alignment with Organizational Objectives: Security standards and policies should support and enable the organization ' s business objectives.

Risk Management: Identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks are essential elements of information security management.

Governance: Effective governance ensures that information security activities are aligned with the organization ' s strategies and objectives.

In summary: The Information Security Manager should proactively engage senior management to highlight the discrepancy between the approved policy and industry best practices. The goal is to revise the policy to ensure it adequately addresses security risks while supporting the organization ' s objectives. Once the policy is aligned with best practices, the security standards can be developed accordingly.

= After a breach where the risk has been isolated and forensic processes have been performed, the next step should be to rebuild the server from the last verified backup. This will ensure that the server is restored to a known and secure state, and that any malicious code or data that may have been injected or compromised by the attacker is removed. Rebuilding the server from the original media may not be sufficient, as it may not include the latest patches or configurations that were applied before the breach. Placing the web server in quarantine or shutting it down may not be feasible or desirable, as it may disrupt the business operations or services that depend on the server. Rebuilding the server from the last verified backup is the best option to resume normal operations while maintaining security. References =

CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 118: “Recovery is the process of restoring normal operations after an incident. Recovery activities may include rebuilding systems, restoring data, applying patches, changing passwords, and testing functionality.”

Data Breach Experts Share The Most Important Next Step You Should Take After A Data Breach in 2014 & 2015, snippet: “Restore from backup. If you have a backup of your system from before the breach, wipe your system clean and restore from backup. This will ensure that any backdoors or malware installed by the hackers are removed.”

 = The best assurance that security policies are applied across business operations is that organizational standards are documented in operational procedures. Operational procedures are the specific steps and actions that need to be taken to implement and comply with the security policies and standards. They provide clear and consistent guidance for the staff members who are responsible for performing the security tasks and functions. They also help to ensure that the security policies and standards are aligned with the business objectives and processes, and that they are measurable and auditable. Documenting the organizational standards in operational procedures can help to improve the security awareness, accountability, and performance of the staff members, and to reduce the risks of errors, deviations, and violations. The other options are not the best assurance because they are either too general or too specific. Organizational standards are included in awareness training (A) is a good practice to educate the staff members about the security policies and standards, but it does not guarantee that they will follow them or understand how to apply them in their daily operations. Organizational standards are enforced by technical controls (B) is a way to automate and monitor the compliance with the security policies and standards, but it does not cover all the aspects of security that may require human intervention or judgment. Organizational standards are required to be formally accepted © is a way to obtain the commitment and support from the staff members for the security policies and standards, but it does not ensure that they will adhere to them or know how to execute them in their work activities. References = CISM Review Manual 2022, pages 24-25, 28-29; CISM Item Development Guide 2022, page 9; Policies, Procedures, Standards, Baselines, and Guidelines | CISSP Security-Management Practices | Pearson IT Certification

The change management procedure that is MOST likely to cause concern to the information security manager is the development manager migrating programs into production, because it involves a high-risk activity that could compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information systems and data. Migrating programs into production without proper testing, validation, and approval could introduce errors, vulnerabilities, or conflicts that could affect the performance, functionality, or security of the systems. Fallback processes are tested the weekend before changes are made, users are not notified of scheduled system changes, and a manual rather than an automated process is used to compare program versions are all acceptable change management procedures that do not pose significant risks to the information security manager. References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, page 3121; CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual, 10th Edition, page 1522

If participation in security awareness training is decreasing while incidents are rising, making the training program mandatory for all employees is the best course of action. The CISM Review Manual notes that mandatory training ensures organizational-wide coverage and directly addresses the lack of participation, which is likely contributing to increased incidents.

The core objective of a post-incident review (PIR) is to identify gaps and weaknesses in the response process. This includes missteps, delays, communication failures, or policy limitations — all of which provide insight to improve future incident handling.

" Post-incident reviews focus on identifying root causes and areas for improvement to enhance the organization’s preparedness for future incidents.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 4: Post-Incident Activities*

Though training, reporting, and budgeting may follow, they are secondary outcomes of this process.

The most important course of action before engaging law enforcement is to engage legal counsel . In CISM incident management, legal counsel helps ensure that the organization complies with legal obligations, preserves privilege where applicable, understands reporting requirements, and avoids actions that could create additional liability. Cyberattacks may involve privacy laws, contractual notification requirements, regulatory obligations, evidence handling requirements, and possible criminal proceedings. Legal counsel is best positioned to advise whether and how law enforcement should be involved. Encrypting evidence is not the primary concern and could complicate evidence handling if not done properly. Senior management input is important, but legal guidance is essential when external authorities may be involved. Hiring forensic experts may also be necessary, but legal counsel should guide the scope, engagement, evidence handling, and reporting considerations. CISM emphasizes coordinated incident response involving legal, communications, management, and technical teams. Therefore, engaging legal counsel is the most important action when law enforcement involvement is being considered.

The correct answer is B because an independent assessment provides objective evidence regarding the design and operating effectiveness of a third party’s controls. When a vendor will process customer information, the organization must obtain assurance that the vendor can protect confidentiality, integrity, availability, privacy, and regulatory compliance requirements. Independent assessments, such as third-party audit reports or assurance reviews, are stronger than self-reported information because they are performed by an objective party. Incident response test results may show one aspect of readiness, but they do not provide broad evidence that all required controls operate effectively. An external vulnerability assessment is useful for identifying technical weaknesses, but it is limited in scope. A questionnaire can help gather information during due diligence, but it relies heavily on vendor representations. CISM emphasizes third-party risk management, due diligence, contractual assurance, and ongoing monitoring. Therefore, an independent assessment is the best evidence that the third party’s controls will operate as required.

 A gap assessment is the best way to demonstrate that an information security program provides appropriate coverage, as it compares the current state of the information security program with the desired state based on the organization’s objectives, policies, standards, and regulations. A gap assessment can identify the strengths and weaknesses of the information security program, as well as the areas that need improvement or alignment. A gap assessment can also provide recommendations and action plans to close the gaps and achieve the desired level of information security coverage.

The other options are not as good as a gap assessment, as they do not provide a comprehensive and holistic view of the information security coverage. Security risk analysis is a process to identify and evaluate the risks to the information assets and the impact of potential threats and vulnerabilities. It can help to prioritize and mitigate the risks, but it does not measure the compliance or performance of the information security program. Maturity assessment is a process to measure the level of maturity of the information security program based on a predefined model or framework. It can help to benchmark and improve the information security program, but it does not account for the specific needs and expectations of the organization. Vulnerability scan report is a document that shows the results of a scan on the network or system to identify the existing or potential vulnerabilities. It can help to validate and improve the technical security, but it does not assess the non-technical aspects of information security, such as governance, policies, or awareness. 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 1015.

CISM domain 3: Information security program development and management [2022 update], Infosec Certifications, 2.

 The best way to ensure information security governance is aligned with corporate governance is to integrate security reporting into corporate reporting. This will enable the board and senior management to oversee and monitor the performance and effectiveness of the information security program, as well as the alignment of information security objectives and strategies with business goals and risk appetite. Security reporting should provide relevant, timely, accurate, and actionable information to support decision making and accountability. The other options are important components of information security governance, but they do not ensure alignment with corporate governance by themselves. References = CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 411; CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Database - 12 Month Subscription, Question ID: 1027

Engaging stakeholders is the most important step when developing an information security strategy, as it ensures that the strategy is aligned with the business objectives, risks, and needs of the organization. Stakeholders include senior management, business units, IT staff, customers, regulators, and other relevant parties who have an interest or influence on the information security of the organization. By engaging stakeholders, the information security manager can gain their support, input, feedback, and buy-in for the strategy, as well as identify and prioritize the security requirements, expectations, and challenges.

References = CISM Review Manual, 27th Edition, Chapter 4, Section 4.1.1, page 2131; CISM Online Review Course, Module 4, Lesson 1, Topic 1

An information security governance framework is a set of principles, policies, standards, and processes that guide the development, implementation, and management of an effective information security program that supports the organization’s objectives and strategy. The framework provides direction to meet business goals while balancing risks and controls, as it helps to align the information security activities with the business needs, priorities, and risk appetite, and to ensure that the security resources and investments are optimized and justified.

References = CISM Review Manual 2022, page 321; CISM Exam Content Outline, Domain 1, Knowledge Statement 1.22; CISM domain 1: Information security governance Updated 2022

 The best way to ensure appropriate security controls are built into software is to integrate security throughout the development process. This means that security should be considered from the initial stages of planning, design, coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance of the software. Integrating security throughout the development process helps to identify and mitigate security risks early, reduce the cost and complexity of fixing vulnerabilities later, improve the quality and reliability of the software, and enhance the trust and confidence of the users and customers. Integrating security throughout the development process also aligns with the best practices and standards of information security governance, such as the CISM framework123.

References =

CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 1631

CISM domain 3: Information security program development and management [2022 update]2

CISSP domain 8 overview: Software development security4

 Before transferring personal data across borders, an organization should first assess the local or regional regulations that apply to the data protection and privacy of the data subjects. This will help the organization to identify the legal requirements and risks involved in the data transfer, and to choose the appropriate tools and safeguards to ensure compliance and protection. For example, the organization may need to obtain consent from the data subjects, use adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses, or other mechanisms to ensure an adequate level of protection in the third country, or rely on specific derogations for certain situations. The other options are not the first steps to take, although they may be relevant at later stages of the data transfer process. References =

Guide to the cross-border transfer of personal data in the GDPR

New guidance issued by the EDPB on international transfers of personal data

Requirements for transferring personal information across borders

Information security due diligence is the process of assessing the current state of information security in an organization, identifying any gaps, risks, or vulnerabilities, and estimating the costs and efforts required to remediate them. Performing information security due diligence prior to making the purchase is important to determine the security exposures that may affect the value, reputation, or liability of the organization, as well as the feasibility and compatibility of integrating the security systems and processes of the two organizations.

References = CISM Review Manual 2022, page 361; CISM Exam Content Outline, Domain 1, Task 1.22; Information Security Due Diligence Questionnair

Security metrics are the best way to determine the maturity of an information security program because they are quantifiable indicators of the performance and effectiveness of the security controls and processes. Security metrics help to evaluate the current state of security, identify gaps and weaknesses, measure progress and improvement, and communicate the value and impact of security to stakeholders. Therefore, security metrics are the correct answer.

The primary benefit of a vulnerability scanning tool is identifying potential risks posed by devices on the network . Vulnerability scanning detects known technical weaknesses in systems, applications, services, and configurations. These weaknesses may expose the organization to threats and therefore represent potential sources of risk. CISM distinguishes vulnerability identification from full risk analysis: scanning provides technical input, but risk analysis also requires evaluating likelihood, impact, asset value, and business context. A vulnerability scanner does not identify weaknesses in organizational processes, which usually require audits, assessments, or process reviews. It also cannot ensure that complex vulnerabilities are never missed, since scanning tools depend on coverage, signatures, configuration, and scope. Finally, it does not automate the complete risk analysis program; it only supplies data for risk evaluation. CISM risk management guidance emphasizes that vulnerability information must be interpreted in relation to business impact and threat exposure. Therefore, the best answer is identifying potential risks associated with networked devices.

The board of directors is the ultimate authority and accountability for ensuring the objectives of an information security framework are being met, as they are responsible for setting the strategic direction, approving the policies, overseeing the performance, and ensuring the compliance of the organization. The board of directors also delegates the authority and resources to the information security officer, the steering committee, and the internal audit manager, who are involved in the design, implementation, monitoring, and improvement of the information security framework.

References = CISM Review Manual, 27th Edition, Chapter 4, Section 4.1.1, page 2131; CISM Online Review Course, Module 4, Lesson 1, Topic 12; CISM domain 1: Information security governance Updated 2022