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Performing a risk analysis is the first step when implementing a security program because it helps to identify and prioritize the potential threats and vulnerabilities that may affect the organization’s assets, processes, or objectives, and determine their impact and likelihood. Implementing data encryption is not the first step, but rather a possible subsequent step that involves applying a specific security control or technique to protect data from unauthorized access or modification. Creating an information asset inventory is not the first step, but rather a possible subsequent step that involves identifying and classifying the organization’s assets based on their value and sensitivity. Determining the value of information assets is not the first step, but rather a possible subsequent step that involves estimating and quantifying the worth of information assets to the organization. References: https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2015/volume-6/measuring-the-value-of-information-security-investments https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2017/volume-3/how-to-measure-the-effectiveness-of-your-information-security-management-system

According to the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Study Manual, a mature information security culture is one in which staff members regularly consider risk in their decisions. This means that they are aware of the risks associated with their actions and take preventative steps to reduce the likelihood of negative outcomes. Other indicators of a mature information security culture include mandatory information security training for all staff, documented and communicated information security policies, and regular interaction between the CISO and the board.

Maintaining an information security governance framework enables an organization to identify, assess, and manage its information security risks. By establishing policies, procedures, and controls that are aligned with the organization's objectives and risk tolerance, an information security governance framework helps ensure that information security risks are managed to an acceptable level.

According to the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Study Manual, "Information security governance provides a framework for managing and controlling information security practices and technologies at an enterprise level. Its primary objective is to manage and reduce risk through a process of identification, assessment, and management of those risks."

While the other options listed (prioritizing resources, communicating guidelines, and remaining compliant with regulations) are also important benefits of maintaining an information security governance framework, they are all secondary to the primary benefit of managing business risks to an acceptable level.

Prevention of authorized access is the greatest threat posed by a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack on a public-facing web server because it prevents legitimate users or customers from accessing the web services or resources, causing disruption, dissatisfaction, and potential loss of revenue or reputation. Execution of unauthorized commands is not a threat posed by a DDoS attack, but rather by a remote code execution (RCE) attack. Defacement of website content is not a threat posed by a DDoS attack, but rather by a web application attack. Unauthorized access to resources is not a threat posed by a DDoS attack, but rather by a brute force attack or an authentication bypass attack. References: https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2017/volume-6/the-value-of-penetration-testing https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2016/volume-5/security-scanning-versus-penetration-testing

The most effective way to prevent information security incidents is to implement a security awareness training program for employees. Security awareness training provides employees with the knowledge and skills they need to identify potential security threats and protect their systems from unauthorized access and malicious activity. Security awareness training also helps to ensure that employees understand their roles and responsibilities when it comes to information security, and can help to reduce the risk of information security incidents by making employees more aware of potential risks. Additionally, implementing a security information and event management (SIEM) tool, deploying a consistent incident response approach, and deploying intrusion detection tools in the network environment can also help to reduce the risk of security incidents

The number of reported incidents has increased is the best evidence that a recently established information security program is effective because it indicates that the organization has improved its detection and reporting capabilities and has raised awareness among employees about security issues. Regular IT balanced scorecards are communicated is not a good evidence because it does not measure the actual performance or outcomes of the security program. Senior management has reported fewer junk emails is not a good evidence because it does not reflect the overall security posture or maturity of the organization. The number of tickets associated with IT incidents have stayed consistent is not a good evidence because it does not show any improvement or reduction in security incidents or risks. References: https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2016/volume-6/how-to-measure-the-effectiveness-of-information-security-using-iso-27004 https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2014/volume-6/how-to-measure-the-effectiveness-of-your-information-security-management-system

A gap analysis identifies the differences between current practices and the new regulatory requirements, ensuring targeted and effective policy updates.

“Performing a gap analysis is critical to identify the areas where the current policy falls short of new regulatory requirements.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 1: Information Security Governance, Section: Compliance*

ISACA practice questions confirm that a gap analysis is the foundational step before engaging stakeholders or updating policies.

 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.

The primary purpose for continuous monitoring of security controls is to ensure the effectiveness of controls. This involves regularly assessing the controls to ensure that they are meeting their intended objectives, and that any potential weaknesses are identified and addressed. Continuous monitoring also helps to ensure that control gaps are minimized, and that systems are available and aligned with compliance requirements.

The primary purpose of continuous monitoring of security controls is to ensure that the controls are operating effectively and providing adequate protection for the information assets. Continuous monitoring can also help to identify control gaps, ensure system availability, and support compliance requirements, but these are secondary benefits12 References = 1: SP 800-137, Information Security Continuous Monitoring (ISCM) for Federal Information Systems and Organizations, page 1-12: A Practical Approach to Continuous Control Monitoring, ISACA Journal, Volume 2, 2015, page 1.

Comprehensive and Detailed Step-by-Step Explanation:

Risk-based vulnerability management prioritizes vulnerabilities based on the potential impact on critical assets.

A. The information available about the vulnerability: While important for assessing risk, it does not directly determine the priority.

B. The sensitivity of the asset and the data it contains: This is the BEST answer because prioritizing vulnerabilities based on the criticality of the affected assets ensures that high-impact threats are addressed first.

C. IT resource availability and constraints: These are logistical considerations but should not outweigh risk impact.

D. Whether patches have been developed and tested: Patches are important for remediation but do not determine prioritization.

Senior management support is the most important factor to have in place for an organization’s information security program to be effective because it helps to establish the vision, direction, and goals of the program, as well as to allocate the necessary resources and authority to implement and maintain it. Senior management support also helps to foster a security culture within the organization, where security is seen as a shared responsibility and a business enabler. Senior management support also helps to ensure compliance with internal and external security policies and standards, as well as to communicate the value and impact of security to stakeholders. Therefore, senior management support is the correct answer.

 The information security manager should present a business case for additional controls to senior management, as this is the most effective way to communicate the risk and the need for mitigation. The information security manager should not instruct IT to deploy controls based on urgent business needs, as this may not align with the business objectives and may cause unnecessary costs and delays. The information security manager should not solicit bids for compensating control products, as this may not address the root cause of the risk and may not be the best solution. The information security manager should not recommend a different application, as this may not be feasible or desirable for the business. References = CISM Review Manual 2023, page 711; CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual 2023, page 252

The greatest benefit of payment card data security standards is that they drive consistent, industry-wide protection of information assets (A). CISM governance emphasizes that standards such as those for payment cards establish minimum baselines that improve security maturity across the entire ecosystem. They do not eliminate attacks (B), optimize budgets (C), or directly enable new payment methods (D). Instead, they raise the overall level of protection, reduce systemic risk, and support trust in payment systems by ensuring consistent application of fundamental security controls.

Penetration testing simulates real-world attacks to identify any remaining exploitable vulnerabilities after controls are implemented. It validates that mitigation has been successful from an attacker’s perspective.

“Penetration testing is essential to verify the effectiveness of remediation efforts and ensure vulnerabilities can no longer be exploited.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 2: Risk Management, Section: Security Testing and Evaluation*

Vulnerability assessments and audits are valuable, but pen testing provides practical assurance.

= A tabletop exercise is the best type of exercise for an incident response team at the first drill, as it is a low-cost, low-risk, and high-value method to test and evaluate the incident response plan, procedures, roles, and capabilities. A tabletop exercise is a simulation of a realistic scenario that involves a security incident, and requires the participation and discussion of the incident response team members and other relevant stakeholders. The tabletop exercise allows the incident response team to identify and address the gaps, issues, or challenges in the incident response process, and to improve the communication, coordination, and collaboration among the team members and other parties. The tabletop exercise also helps to enhance the knowledge, skills, and confidence of the incident response team members, and to prepare them for more complex or advanced exercises or real incidents.

A red team exercise (A) is a type of exercise that involves a group of ethical hackers or security experts who act as adversaries and attempt to compromise the organization’s security defenses, systems, or processes. A red team exercise is a high-cost, high-risk, and high-value method to test and evaluate the security posture and resilience of the organization, and to identify and exploit the security weaknesses or vulnerabilities. However, a red team exercise is not the best type of exercise for an incident response team at the first drill, as it is more suitable for a mature and experienced team that has already tested and validated the incident response plan, procedures, roles, and capabilities.

A black box penetration test (B) is a type of security testing that simulates a malicious attack on the organization’s systems or processes, without any prior knowledge or information about them. A black box penetration test is a high-cost, high-risk, and high-value method to test and evaluate the security posture and resilience of the organization, and to identify and exploit the security weaknesses or vulnerabilities. However, a black box penetration test is not the best type of exercise for an incident response team at the first drill, as it is more suitable for a mature and experienced team that has already tested and validated the incident response plan, procedures, roles, and capabilities.

A disaster recovery exercise © is a type of exercise that simulates a catastrophic event that disrupts or destroys the organization’s critical systems or processes, and requires the activation and execution of the disaster recovery plan, procedures, roles, and capabilities. A disaster recovery exercise is a high-cost, high-risk, and high-value method to test and evaluate the disaster recovery posture and resilience of the organization, and to identify and address the recovery issues or challenges. However, a disaster recovery exercise is not the best type of exercise for an incident response team at the first drill, as it is more suitable for a mature and experienced team that has already tested and validated the incident response plan, procedures, roles, and capabilities.

References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, Chapter 4: Information Security Incident Management, Section: Incident Response Plan, Subsection: Testing and Maintenance, page 184-1851

Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs) are legally enforceable and approved data protection policies used to facilitate compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Incorporating BCRs into a global agreement enables the organization to efficiently manage regulatory obligations across countries.

“Binding corporate rules offer a scalable and consistent mechanism to address cross-border compliance in global outsourcing agreements.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 1: Governance, Section: Cross-Border Data Protection Considerations*

Creating separate agreements per country is inefficient and complex compared to centralized BCR-based governance.

 Information asset classification is the process of identifying, labeling, and categorizing information assets based on their value, sensitivity, and criticality to the organization. Information asset classification helps to establish appropriate security controls, policies, and procedures for protecting the information assets from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction. One of the key elements of information asset classification is assigning owners to each information asset. Owners are responsible for managing the information asset throughout its lifecycle, including defining its security requirements, implementing security controls, monitoring its usage and performance, reporting any incidents or breaches, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory obligations. Therefore, assigning responsibility to the database administrator (DBA) is the best way to address the situation where several production databases do not have owners assigned to them. References = CISM Review Manual 15th Edition1, page 256; Information Asset and Security Classification Procedure2.