CISM Exam Info and Free Practice Test All-in-One Exam Guide Jun-2026
Pass ISACA CISM Actual Free Exam Q&As Updated Dump Jun 09, 2026
The CISM exam is designed for professionals who have experience in information security management and are looking to advance their careers in this field. CISM exam covers four domains: Information Security Governance, Risk Management, Information Security Program Development and Management, and Information Security Incident Management. Each domain focuses on a particular aspect of information security management, and the exam requires candidates to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of each domain.
NEW QUESTION # 278
Which of the following is the MOST effective way to treat a risk such as a natural disaster that has a low probability and a high impact level?
- A. Eliminate the risk.
- B. Transfer the risk.
- C. Accept the risk.
- D. Implement countermeasures.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Section: INFORMATION RISK MANAGEMENT
Explanation:
Risks are typically transferred to insurance companies when the probability of an incident is low but the impact is high. Examples include: hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes. Implementing countermeasures may not be the most cost-effective approach to security management. Eliminating the risk may not be possible. Accepting the risk would leave the organization vulnerable to a catastrophic disaster which may cripple or ruin the organization. It would be more cost effective to pay recurring insurance costs than to be affected by a disaster from which the organization cannot financially recover.
NEW QUESTION # 279
An organization utilizes a third party to classify its customers' personally identifiable information (PII). What is the BEST way to hold the third party accountable for data leaks?
- A. Ensure a nondisclosure agreement is signed by both parties' senior management.
- B. Submit a formal request for proposal (RFP) containing detailed documentation of requirements.
- C. Require the service provider to sign off on the organization's acceptable use policy.
- D. Include detailed documentation requirements within the formal statement of work.
Answer: D
NEW QUESTION # 280
Which of the following is MOST important to consider when determining asset valuation?
- A. Asset recovery cost
- B. Potential business loss
- C. Asset classification level
- D. Cost of insurance premiums
Answer: B
Explanation:
Potential business loss is the most important factor to consider when determining asset valuation, as it reflects the impact of losing or compromising the asset on the organization's objectives and operations. Asset recovery cost, asset classification level, and cost of insurance premiums are also relevant, but not as important as potential business loss, as they do not capture the full value of the asset to the organization. References = CISM Review Manual 2023, page 461; CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual 2023, page 292
NEW QUESTION # 281
Management has expressed concerns to the information security manager that shadow IT may be a risk to the organization. What is the FIRST step the information security manager should take?
- A. Update the security policy to address shadow IT.
- B. Determine the extent of shadow IT usage.
- C. Determine the value of shadow IT projects.
- D. Block the end user's ability to use shadow IT
Answer: A
NEW QUESTION # 282
If an organization does not have an information security governance framework in place, which of the following would BEST facilitate the adoption of a future governance program?
- A. Information security funding
- B. Involvement of business stakeholders
- C. IT department support
- D. Audit recommendations
Answer: B
NEW QUESTION # 283
After undertaking a security assessment of a production system, the information security manager is MOST likely to:
- A. inform the system owner of any residual risks and propose measures to reduce them.
- B. establish an overall security program that minimizes the residual risks of that production system.
- C. inform the IT manager of the residual risks and propose measures to reduce them.
- D. inform the development team of any residual risks, and together formulate risk reduction measures.
Answer: A
NEW QUESTION # 284
Cold sites for disaster recovery events are MOST helpful in situations in which a company:
- A. has a limited budget for coverage.
- B. uses highly specialized equipment that must be custom manufactured.
- C. does not require any telecommunications connectivity.
- D. is located in close proximity to the cold she.
Answer: A
NEW QUESTION # 285
Which of the following will identify a deviation in the information security management process from generally accepted standards of good practices?
- A. Penetration testing
- B. Gap analysis
- C. Risk assessment
- D. Business impact analysis (BIA)
Answer: B
Explanation:
Section: INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
NEW QUESTION # 286
Acceptable risk is achieved when:
- A. transferred risk is minimized.
- B. residual risk is minimized.
- C. control risk is minimized.
- D. inherent risk is minimized.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Explanation/Reference:
Explanation:
Residual risk is the risk that remains after putting into place an effective risk management program; therefore, acceptable risk is achieved when this amount is minimized. Transferred risk is risk that has been assumed by a third party and may not necessarily be equal to the minimal form of residual risk. Control risk is the risk that controls may not prevent/detect an incident with a measure of control effectiveness. Inherent risk cannot be minimized.
NEW QUESTION # 287
An organization has learned of a security breach at another company that utilizes similar technology. The FIRST thing the information security manager should do is:
- A. assess the likelihood of incidents from the reported cause.
- B. report to senior management that the organization is not affected.
- C. discontinue the use of the vulnerable technology.
- D. remind staff that no similar security breaches have taken place.
Answer: A
Explanation:
Explanation/Reference:
Explanation:
The security manager should first assess the likelihood of a similar incident occurring, based on available information. Discontinuing the use of the vulnerable technology would not necessarily be practical since it would likely be needed to support the business. Reporting to senior management that the organization is not affected due to controls already in place would be premature until the information security manager can first assess the impact of the incident. Until this has been researched, it is not certain that no similar security breaches have taken place.
NEW QUESTION # 288
Risk assessment is MOST effective when performed:
- A. on a continuous basis.
- B. while developing the business case for the security program.
- C. at the beginning of security program development.
- D. during the business change process.
Answer: A
Explanation:
Explanation/Reference:
Explanation:
Risk assessment needs to be performed on a continuous basis because of organizational and technical changes. Risk assessment must take into account all significant changes in order to be effective.
NEW QUESTION # 289
During which of the following phases should an incident response team document actions required to remove the threat that caused the incident?
- A. Eradication
- B. Post-incident review
- C. Containment
- D. Identification
Answer: A
Explanation:
Explanation
The eradication phase of incident response is the stage where the incident response team documents and performs the actions required to remove the threat that caused the incident1. This phase involves identifying and eliminating the root cause of the incident, such as malware, compromised accounts, unauthorized access, or misconfigured systems2. The eradication phase also involves restoring the affected systems to a secure state, deleting any malicious files or artifacts, and verifying that the threat has been completely removed2. The eradication phase is the first step in returning a compromised environment to its proper state2. The other phases of incident response are:
Preparation: The phase where the incident response team prepares for potential incidents by defining roles, responsibilities, procedures, tools, and resources1.
Detection and analysis: The phase where the incident response team identifies and prioritizes the incidents based on their severity, impact, and urgency1.
Containment: The phase where the incident response team isolates the affected systems or networks to prevent the spread of the incident and minimize the damage1.
Recovery: The phase where the incident response team restores the normal operations of the systems or networks, and implements any necessary changes or improvements to prevent recurrence1.
Post-incident review: The phase where the incident response team evaluates the effectiveness of the incident response process, identifies the lessons learned, and provides recommendations for improvement1. References = 3: Critical Incident Stress Management: CISM Implementation Guidelines 2: What is the Eradication Phase of Incident Response? - RSI Security 1: Incident Response Models - ISACA
NEW QUESTION # 290
Threat and vulnerability assessments are important PRIMARILY because they are:
- A. elements of the organization's security posture.
- B. the basis for setting control objectives.
- C. needed to estimate risk.
- D. used to establish security investments
Answer: B
Explanation:
Explanation
Threat and vulnerability assessments are important primarily because they are the basis for setting control objectives. Control objectives are the desired outcomes of implementing security controls, and they should be aligned with the organization's risk appetite and business objectives. Threat and vulnerability assessments help to identify the potential sources and impacts of security incidents, and to prioritize the mitigation actions based on the likelihood and severity of the risks. By conducting threat and vulnerability assessments, the organization can establish the appropriate level and type of security controls to protect its information assets and reduce the residual risk to an acceptable level. References = CISM Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3: Information Security Risk Management, Section 3.1: Risk Identification, p. 115-1161. CISM Review Manual (Print Version), Chapter 3: Information Security Risk Management, Section 3.1: Risk Identification, p. 115-1162. CISM ITEM DEVELOPMENT GUIDE, Domain 3: Information Security Program Development and Management, Task Statement 3.1, p. 193.
Threat and vulnerability assessments are important PRIMARILY because they are the basis for setting control objectives. Control objectives are the desired outcomes or goals of implementing security controls in an information system. They are derived from the risk assessment process, which identifies and evaluates the threats and vulnerabilities that could affect the system's confidentiality, integrity and availability. By conducting threat and vulnerability assessments, an organization can determine the level of risk it faces and establish the appropriate control objectives to mitigate those risks.
NEW QUESTION # 291
An internal control audit has revealed a control deficiency related to a legacy system where the compensating controls no longer appear to be effective. Which of the following would BEST help the information security manager determine the security requirements to resolve the control deficiency?
- A. Business case
- B. Gap analysis
- C. Cost-benefit analysis
- D. Risk assessment
Answer: D
NEW QUESTION # 292
Which of the following should be determined while defining risk management strategies?
- A. Enterprise disaster recovery plans
- B. Organizational objectives and risk appetite
- C. Risk assessment criteria
- D. IT architecture complexity
Answer: B
Explanation:
Explanation
While defining risk management strategies, one needs to analyze the organization's objectives and risk appetite and define a risk management framework based on this analysis. Some organizations may accept known risks, while others may invest in and apply mitigation controls to reduce risks. Risk assessment criteria would become part of this framework, but only after proper analysis. IT architecture complexity and enterprise disaster recovery plans are more directly related to assessing risks than defining strategies.
NEW QUESTION # 293
Which of the following groups would be in the BEST position to perform a risk analysis for a business?
- A. A peer group within a similar business
- B. A specialized management consultant
- C. External auditors
- D. Process owners
Answer: D
Explanation:
Explanation/Reference:
Explanation:
Process owners have the most in-depth knowledge of risks and compensating controls within their environment. External parties do not have that level of detailed knowledge on the inner workings of the business. Management consultants are expected to have the necessary skills in risk analysis techniques but are still less effective than a group with intimate knowledge of the business.
NEW QUESTION # 294
Which of the following is the MOST important consideration when implementing an intrusion detection system (IDS)?
- A. Patching
- B. Tuning
- C. Encryption
- D. Packet filtering
Answer: B
Explanation:
Section: INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Explanation:
If an intrusion detection system (IDS) is not properly tuned it will generate an unacceptable number of false positives and/or fail to sound an alarm when an actual attack is underway. Patching is more related to operating system hardening, while encryption and packet filtering would not be as relevant.
NEW QUESTION # 295
Ongoing tracking of remediation efforts to mitigate identified risks can BEST be accomplished through the use of which of the following?
- A. Bar charts
- B. Venn diagrams
- C. Heat charts
- D. Tree diagrams
Answer: C
Explanation:
Section: INFORMATION RISK MANAGEMENT
Explanation:
Meat charts, sometimes referred to as stoplight charts, quickly and clearly show the current status of remediation efforts. Venn diagrams show the connection between sets; tree diagrams are useful for decision analysis; and bar charts show relative size.
NEW QUESTION # 296
Which of the following is MOST effective in preventing the introduction of vulnerabilities that may disrupt the availability of a critical business application?
- A. Version control
- B. Logical access controls
- C. Change management controls
- D. A patch management process
Answer: D
NEW QUESTION # 297
An organization's board of directors has learned of recent legislation requiring organizations within the industry to enact specific safeguards to protect confidential customer information. What actions should the board take next?
- A. Direct information security on what they need to do
- B. Require management to report on compliance
- C. Nothing; information security does not report to the board
- D. Research solutions to determine the proper solutions
Answer: B
Explanation:
Section: INFORMATION SECURITY GOVERNANCE
Explanation:
Information security governance is the responsibility of the board of directors and executive management.
In this instance, the appropriate action is to ensure that a plan is in place for implementation of needed safeguards and to require updates on that implementation.
NEW QUESTION # 298
Obtaining senior management support for establishing a warm site can BEST be accomplished by:
- A. establishing a periodic risk assessment.
- B. promoting regulatory requirements.
- C. developing effective metrics.
- D. developing a business case.
Answer: D
Explanation:
Explanation
Business case development, including a cost-benefit analysis, will be most persuasive to management. A risk assessment may be included in the business ease, but by itself will not be as effective in gaining management support. Informing management of regulatory requirements may help gain support for initiatives, but given that more than half of all organizations are not in compliance with regulations, it is unlikely to be sufficient in many cases. Good metrics which provide assurance that initiatives are meeting organizational goals will also be useful, but are insufficient in gaining management support.
NEW QUESTION # 299
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The Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification is a globally recognized credential for information security managers who are responsible for developing and managing information security programs. The CISM certification is offered by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), a global association of information security, assurance, governance, and risk professionals.
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