Top Tips for Passing the Isaca CISM Exam on Your First Try

= Data owner is the best suited to determine how the information in a database should be classified, because data owner is the person who has the authority and responsibility for the data and its protection. Data owner is accountable for the business value, quality, integrity, and security of the data. Data owner also defines the data classification criteria and levels based on the data sensitivity, criticality, and regulatory requirements. Data owner assigns the data custodian and grants the data access rights to the data users. Data owner reviews and approves the data classification policies and procedures, and ensures the compliance with them.

References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, Chapter 1: Information Security Governance, Section: Data Classification, page 331

= According to the CISM Review Manual, the information security manager should actively engage with stakeholders to align security and business goals. This means understanding the business needs, expectations, and risk appetite of the stakeholders, and communicating the value and benefits of security initiatives to them. By engaging with stakeholders, the information security manager can also gain their support and commitment for security programs and projects, and ensure that security objectives are aligned with business strategy and priorities. References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, ISACA, 2020, page 23.

The process manager is the person who is responsible for overseeing and managing the business processes and functions that are essential for the organization’s operations and objectives. The process manager has the most direct and detailed knowledge of the inputs, outputs, dependencies, resources, and performance indicators of the business processes and functions. Therefore, the process manager is in the best position to evaluate the business impacts of a disruption or an incident that affects the availability, integrity, or confidentiality of the information assets and systems that support the business processes and functions. The process manager can identify and quantify the potential losses, damages, or consequences that could result from the disruption or incident, such as revenue loss, customer dissatisfaction, regulatory non-compliance, reputational harm, or legal liability. The process manager can also provide input and feedback to the information security manager and the senior management on the business continuity and disaster recovery plans, the risk assessment and treatment, and the security controls and measures that are needed to protect and recover the business processes and functions. References = CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 2301; CISM Practice Quiz, question 1302

 The organizational risk appetite is the best indicator of the comprehensiveness of an information security strategy. The risk appetite defines the level of risk that the organization is willing to accept in pursuit of its objectives. The information security strategy should align with the risk appetite and provide a framework for managing the risks that the organization faces. An internal or external security audit can assess the effectiveness of the information security strategy, but not its comprehensiveness. A business impact analysis (BIA) can identify the critical business processes and assets that need to be protected, but not the overall scope and direction of the information security strategy. References = CISM Review Manual 2023, page 36 1; CISM Practice Quiz 2

 Role-based access control (RBAC) is a policy-neutral access control mechanism that assigns access privileges to defined roles in the organization and then makes each user a member of the appropriate roles. RBAC reduces security administration efforts by simplifying the management of access rights across different users and resources. RBAC also enables consistent and efficient enforcement of the principle of least privilege, which grants users only the minimum rights required to perform their assigned tasks. RBAC can also facilitate the implementation of separation of duties, which prevents users from having conflicting or incompatible responsibilities. RBAC is among the most widely used methods in the information security tool kit1. References = CIS Control 6: Access Control Management - Netwrix, CISSP certification: RBAC (Role based access control), What is RBAC? (Role Based Access Control) - IONOS

= The first step when establishing a new data protection program that must comply with applicable data privacy regulations is to create an inventory of systems where personal data is stored. Personal data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person, such as name, address, email, phone number, identification number, location data, biometric data, or online identifiers. Data privacy regulations are laws and rules that govern the collection, processing, storage, transfer, and disposal of personal data, and that grant rights and protections to the data subjects, such as the right to access, rectify, erase, or restrict the use of their personal data. Examples of data privacy regulations are the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States, and the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) in Singapore. Creating an inventory of systems where personal data is stored is essential for the data protection program, because it helps to:

Identify the sources, types, and locations of personal data that the organization collects and holds, and the purposes and legal bases for which they are used.

Assess the risks and impacts associated with the personal data, and the compliance requirements and obligations under the applicable data privacy regulations.

Implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect the personal data from unauthorized or unlawful access, use, disclosure, modification, or loss, such as encryption, pseudonymization, access control, backup, or audit logging.

Establish policies, procedures, and processes to manage the personal data throughout their life cycle, and to respond to the requests and complaints from the data subjects or the data protection authorities.

Monitor and review the performance and effectiveness of the data protection program, and report and resolve any data breaches or incidents.

References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, Chapter 3: Information Security Program Development and Management, Section: Data Protection, pages 202-2051; CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual, 10th Edition, Question 71, page 662.

 According to the CISM Review Manual, the first step to establishing an effective information security program is to create a business case that aligns the program objectives with the organization’s goals and strategies. A business case provides the rationale and justification for the information security program and helps to secure the necessary resources and support from senior management and other stakeholders. A business case should include the following elements:

The scope and objectives of the information security program

The current state of information security in the organization and the gap analysis

The benefits and value proposition of the information security program

The risks and challenges of the information security program

The estimated costs and resources of the information security program

The expected outcomes and performance indicators of the information security program

The implementation plan and timeline of the information security program

References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, Chapter 3, Section 2, pages 97-99.

Creating an inventory is the FIRST step in developing an asset classification program because it helps to identify and list all the information systems assets of the organization that need to be protected and classified. An inventory should include the asset name, description, owner, custodian, location, type, value, and other relevant attributes. Creating an inventory also enables the establishment of the ownership and custody of the assets, which are essential for defining the roles and responsibilities for asset protection and classification12. Categorizing each asset (A) is a subsequent step in developing an asset classification program, after creating an inventory. Categorizing each asset involves assigning a security level or category to each asset based on its value, sensitivity, and criticality to the organization. The security level or category determines the protection level and controls required for each asset12. Creating a business case for a digital rights management tool © is not a step in developing an asset classification program, but rather a possible outcome or recommendation based on the asset classification results. A digital rights management tool is a type of control that can help to enforce the security policies and objectives for the classified assets, such as preventing unauthorized access, copying, or distribution of the assets3. Implementing a data loss prevention (DLP) system (D) is also not a step in developing an asset classification program, but rather a possible outcome or recommendation based on the asset classification results. A DLP system is a type of control that can help to monitor, detect, and prevent the loss or leakage of the classified assets, such as through email, web, or removable media4. References = 1: CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 77-781; 2: IT Asset Valuation, Risk Assessment and Control Implementation Model - ISACA2; 3: What is Digital Rights Management? - Definition from Techopedia3; 4: What is Data Loss Prevention (DLP)? - Definition from Techopedia4

 = Risk appetite is the amount and type of risk that an organization is willing to accept in pursuit of its objectives. It is a key factor that influences the information security strategy and objectives, as well as the selection and implementation of security controls. Risk appetite must be defined in order for an information security manager to evaluate the appropriateness of controls currently in place, as it provides the basis for determining whether the controls are sufficient, excessive, or inadequate to address the risks faced by the organization. The information security manager should align the controls with the risk appetite of the organization, ensuring that the controls are effective, efficient, and economical. References = CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 29, page 31.

 Introducing security requirements during the initiation phase would BEST ensure that security is integrated during application development because it would allow the security objectives and controls to be defined and aligned with the business needs and risk appetite before any design or coding is done. This would also facilitate the security by design approach, which is the most effective method to enhance the security of applications and application development activities1. Introducing security requirements early would also enable the collaboration between security professionals and developers, the identification and specification of security architectures, and the integration and testing of security controls throughout the development life cycle2. Employing global security standards during development processes (A) would help to ensure the consistency and quality of security practices, but it would not necessarily ensure that security is integrated during application development. Providing training on secure development practices to programmers (B) would help to raise the awareness and skills of developers, but it would not ensure that security is integrated during application development. Performing application security testing during acceptance testing © would help to verify the security of the application before deployment, but it would not ensure that security is integrated during application development. It would also be too late to identify and remediate any security issues that could have been prevented or mitigated earlier in the development process. References = 1: Five Key Components of an Application Security Program - ISACA1; 2: CISM Domain – Information Security Program Development | Infosec2

 Alignment between corporate and information security governance means that the information security program supports the organizational goals and objectives, and is integrated into the enterprise governance structure. The best evidence of alignment is the senior management sponsorship, which demonstrates the commitment and support of the top-level executives and board members for the information security program. Senior management sponsorship also ensures that the information security program has adequate resources, authority, and accountability to achieve its objectives and address the risks and issues that affect the organization. Senior management sponsorship also helps to establish a culture of security awareness and compliance throughout the organization, and to communicate the value and benefits of the information security program to the stakeholders.

References =

CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 1631

CISM 2020: Information Security & Business Process Alignment, video 22

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), page 33

= The information security manager’s first course of action in this situation should be to conduct a risk assessment, which is a process of identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the information security risks that arise from the violation of the policy prohibiting the use of cameras at the office. The risk assessment can help to determine the likelihood and impact of the unauthorized or inappropriate use of the cameras on the smartphones and tablet computers, such as capturing, transmitting, or disclosing sensitive or confidential information, compromising the privacy or security of the employees, customers, or partners, or violating the legal or regulatory requirements. The risk assessment can also help to identify and prioritize the appropriate risk treatment options, such as implementing technical, administrative, or physical controls to disable, restrict, or monitor the camera usage, enforcing the policy compliance and awareness, or revising the policy to reflect the current business needs and environment. The risk assessment can also help to communicate and report the risk level and status to the senior management and the relevant stakeholders, and to provide feedback and recommendations for improvement and optimization of the policy and the risk management process.

Revising the policy, performing a root cause analysis, and communicating the acceptable use policy are all possible courses of action that the information security manager can take after conducting the risk assessment, but they are not the first ones. Revising the policy is a process of updating and modifying the policy to align with the business objectives and strategy, to address the changes and challenges in the business and threat environment, and to incorporate the feedback and suggestions from the risk assessment and the stakeholders. Performing a root cause analysis is a process of investigating and identifying the underlying causes and factors that led to the violation of the policy, such as the lack of awareness, training, or enforcement, the inconsistency or ambiguity of the policy, or the conflict or gap between the policy and the business requirements or expectations. Communicating the acceptable use policy is a process of informing and educating the employees and the other users of the smartphones and tablet computers about the purpose, scope, and content of the policy, the roles and responsibilities of the users, the benefits and consequences of complying or violating the policy, and the methods and channels of reporting or resolving any policy issues or incidents. References = CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, pages 51-531; CISM Practice Quiz, question 1482

= Residual risk is the risk that remains after applying security controls. It reflects the actual exposure of the organization to noncompliance issues. Therefore, basing mandatory review and exception approvals on residual risk is the best approach for governing noncompliance with security requirements. It ensures that the organization is aware of the potential impact and likelihood of noncompliance and can make informed decisions about accepting, mitigating, or transferring the risk. References = CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 78.

The best course of action when the organization receives complaints from users that some of their files have been encrypted and they are receiving demands for money to decrypt the files is to initiate incident response. This is because the organization is facing a ransomware attack, which is a type of malicious software that encrypts the victim’s data and demands a ransom for the decryption key. Ransomware attacks can cause significant disruption, damage, and loss to the organization’s operations, assets, and reputation. Therefore, the organization needs to quickly activate its incident response plan and team, which are designed to handle such security incidents in a coordinated, effective, and efficient manner. The incident response process involves the following steps1:

Preparation: The incident response team prepares the necessary resources, tools, and procedures to respond to the incident. The team also establishes the roles, responsibilities, and communication channels among the team members and other stakeholders.

Identification: The incident response team identifies the scope, source, and severity of the incident. The team also collects and preserves the relevant evidence and logs for further analysis and investigation.

Containment: The incident response team isolates the affected systems and networks to prevent the spread of the ransomware and limit the impact of the incident. The team also implements temporary or alternative solutions to restore the essential functions and services.

Eradication: The incident response team removes the ransomware and any traces of its infection from the affected systems and networks. The team also verifies that the systems and networks are clean and secure before restoring them to normal operations.

Recovery: The incident response team restores the affected systems and networks to normal operations. The team also decrypts or restores the encrypted data from backups or other sources, if possible. The team also monitors the systems and networks for any signs of recurrence or residual issues.

Lessons learned: The incident response team conducts a post-incident review to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the incident response process and team. The team also identifies the root causes, lessons learned, and best practices from the incident. The team also recommends and implements the necessary improvements and corrective actions to prevent or mitigate similar incidents in the future.

References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, Chapter 4: Information Security Incident Management, Section: Incident Response Process, pages 229-2331; CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual, 10th Edition, Question 45, page 432.

 = 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