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Initiating incident response is the best course of action after a server has been attacked because it activates the incident response plan or process, which defines the roles and responsibilities, procedures and protocols, tools and techniques for responding to and managing a security incident effectively and efficiently. Reviewing vulnerability assessment is not a good course of action because it does not address the current attack or its impact, but rather evaluates the potential weaknesses or exposures of the server. Conducting a security audit is not a good course of action because it does not address the current attack or its impact, but rather verifies and validates the compliance or performance of the server’s security controls or systems. Isolating the system is not a good course of action because it does not address the current attack or its impact, but rather stops or limits any communication or interaction with the server. References: https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2017/volume-5/incident-response-lessons-learned https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2018/volume-3/incident-response-lessons-learned

Following the escalation process ensures that the incident is managed in accordance with established protocols, involving the right stakeholders and prioritizing the incident appropriately.

“Following the escalation process is critical to ensure that incidents are handled appropriately and that the right personnel are engaged at the right time.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 4: Incident Management, Section: Escalation Procedures*

ISACA practice questions highlight that proper escalation is vital to ensure incidents are managed effectively and consistently.

Entering identified risks into the organization's risk register ensures that they are documented, tracked, assigned, and addressed. Without recording in the risk register, there’s no formal mechanism to manage, treat, or monitor the risk.

“The risk register is the central repository for tracking all known risks, their status, and treatment plans.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 2: Information Risk Management, Section: Risk Response and Risk Register*

Senior management support is essential to ensuring effective incident response because it provides the necessary authority, resources, and guidance for the information security team to perform their roles and responsibilities. Senior management support also helps to establish the goals, scope, policies, and procedures for the incident response plan (IRP), as well as to ensure its alignment with the business objectives and strategy. Senior management support also fosters a culture of security awareness, accountability, and collaboration among all stakeholders involved in the incident response process.

The other options are not essential to ensuring effective incident response, although they may be helpful or beneficial. A business continuity plan (BCP) is a document that outlines the actions and arrangements to ensure the continuity of critical business functions in the event of a disruption or disaster. A cost-benefit analysis is a method of comparing the costs and benefits of different alternatives or solutions to a problem. A classification scheme is a system of categorizing information assets based on their sensitivity, value, and criticality.

References = CISM Manual1, Chapter 6: Incident Response Planning (IRP), Section 6.1: Incident Response Plan2

1: https://store.isaca.org/s/store#/store/browse/cat/a2D4w00000Ac6NNEAZ/tiles 2: 4

Local regulations are the main concern for the information security manager when implementing a corporate security policy for managing PII, as different countries or regions may have different legal, regulatory or contractual requirements for the protection, processing, storage and transfer of PII. The information security manager should ensure that the policy complies with the applicable local regulations and respects the rights and preferences of the data subjects. The policy should also address the risks and challenges of cross-border data transfers and the use of cloud services.

References = CISM Review Manual, 27th Edition, Chapter 4, Section 4.2.1, page 2191; CISM Online Review Course, Module 4, Lesson 2, Topic 12; Comparitech, PII Compliance: What is it and How to Implement it3

 The information security manager’s best course of action is to present the risk to senior management, because this is a case of conflicting objectives and priorities between the information security team and the business management. The information security manager should explain the potential impact and likelihood of a security breach due to the violation of the access policy, as well as the possible legal, regulatory, and reputational consequences. The information security manager should also provide alternative solutions that can achieve both operational efficiency and security compliance, such as implementing single sign-on, role-based access control, or multi-factor authentication. The information security manager should not enforce the policy without senior management’s approval, because this could cause operational disruption and business dissatisfaction. The information security manager should not modify the policy without a proper risk assessment and approval process, because this could weaken the security posture and expose the organization to more threats. The information security manager should not create an exception for the deviation without a formal risk acceptance and documentation process, because this could create inconsistency and ambiguity in the policy enforcement and accountability. References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, ISACA, 2021, pages 127-128, 138-139, 143-144.

Assessing the risk of noncompliance ensures that decisions are based on an understanding of the business impact and security implications.

“Before reporting or remediating, it is critical to assess the risk associated with the control bypass to make informed decisions.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 2: Risk Management, Section: Risk Assessment*

Ensuring the business can operate is the primary consideration when responding to a ransomware attack because it helps to minimize the disruption and impact of the attack on the organization’s mission-critical functions and services. Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the files or systems of the victims and demands payment for their decryption. Ransomware attacks can cause significant operational, financial, and reputational damage to organizations, especially if they affect their core business processes or customer data. Therefore, ensuring the business can operate is the primary consideration when responding to a ransomware attack.

 The primary goal of a post-incident review is to identify areas for improvement in the incident handling process. The focus is on evaluating the effectiveness of incident response procedures, technical controls, communication channels, coordination among teams, documentation, and any other relevant aspects. The post-incident review should also provide recommendations for corrective actions, preventive measures, and lessons learned that can help reduce the likelihood and impact of future incidents12. References = CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 1251; CISM Item Development Guide, page 72

This answer best indicates the effectiveness of the vendor risk management process because it shows that the organization has established and enforced clear and consistent security requirements and expectations for its vendors, and that the vendors have demonstrated their compliance and commitment to security best practices. A globally recognized security standard, such as ISO 27001, NIST CSF, or COBIT, provides a comprehensive and objective framework for assessing and improving the security posture and performance of vendors.

 Replacing key controls with weaker compensating controls may introduce new vulnerabilities or increase the likelihood or impact of existing threats, thus raising the risk levels beyond the acceptable limits defined by the risk appetite and tolerance of the organization. This may expose the organization to unacceptable losses or damages, such as financial, reputational, legal, or operational. Therefore, the information security manager should be most concerned about the potential elevation of risk levels and ensure that the risk owner is aware of the consequences and accountable for the decision.

References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, Chapter 2: Information Risk Management, Section: Risk Treatment, page 941.

A data loss prevention (DLP) solution is a type of detective control that monitors and prevents unauthorized transmission or leakage of sensitive data from the organization. A DLP solution can enhance the organization’s antivirus controls by detecting and blocking malicious code that attempts to exfiltrate data, but this is not its main benefit. A DLP solution cannot eliminate the risk of data loss, as there may be other sources of data loss that are not covered by the DLP solution, such as physical theft, accidental deletion, or natural disasters. A DLP solution also does not reduce the need for a security awareness program, as human factors are often the root cause of data loss incidents. A security awareness program can educate and motivate employees to follow security policies and best practices, and to report any suspicious or anomalous activities. References =

ISACA, CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, 2020, page 79.

ISACA, CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Database, 12th Edition, 2020, question ID 1003.

The most concerning issue for the information security steering committee should be that no owners were identified for some risks in the risk register. This means that there is no clear accountability and responsibility for managing and mitigating those risks, and that the risks may not be properly addressed or monitored. The risk owners are the persons who have the authority and ability to implement the risk treatment options and to accept the residual risk. The risk owners should be identified and assigned for each risk in the risk register, and they should report the status and progress of the risk management activities to the information security steering committee.

References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition eBook1, Chapter 2: Information Risk Management, Section: Risk Management, Subsection: Risk Register, Page 104.