Free Isaca CISM Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 5

Performing post-incident reviews is the best way to enhance training for incident response teams because it allows them to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their response, learn from the lessons and best practices, and implement corrective actions and improvement plans for future incidents. Post-incident reviews also help to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the incident response process and procedures, and to update them as needed.

The best way to obtain senior management support for an information security governance program is to demonstrate the program’s value to the organization, such as how it can help achieve business objectives, reduce operational risks, enhance resilience, and comply with regulations. Demonstrating the value of information security governance can help senior management understand the benefits and costs of the program, and motivate them to participate in the decision-making process. The other options, such as discussing governance programs in similar organizations, providing external audit results, or providing examples of incidents, may not be sufficient or persuasive enough to obtain senior management support, as they may not reflect the specific needs and goals of the organization. References:

https://www.isaca.org/resources/news-and-trends/isaca-now-blog/2020/how-to-involve-senior-management-in-the-information-security-governance-process

https://www.sans.org/white-papers/992/

https://www.govtech.com/blogs/lohrmann-on-cybersecurity/how-to-get-management-support-for-your-security-program.html

Management support is the factor that has the greatest influence on the successful implementation of information security strategy goals. Management support refers to the commitment and involvement of senior executives and other key stakeholders in defining, approving, funding, and overseeing the information security strategy. Management support is essential for aligning the information security strategy with the business objectives, ensuring adequate resources and budget, fostering a security-aware culture, and enforcing accountability and compliance. According to ISACA, management support is one of the critical success factors for information security governance1. The other options are not factors that influence the successful implementation of information security strategy goals, but rather outcomes or components of the information security strategy. Regulatory requirements are external obligations that the information security strategy must comply with2. Compliance acceptance is the degree to which the organization adheres to the information security policies and standards3. Budgetary approval is the process of allocating financial resources for the information security activities and initiatives4. References: 2: Information Security: Goals, Types and Applications - Exabeam 3: How to develop a cybersecurity strategy: Step-by-step guide 4: Information Security Goals And Objectives 1: The Importance of Building an Information Security Strategic Plan

The best starting point for a newly hired information security manager who has been tasked with identifying and addressing network vulnerabilities is C. Penetration testing. This is because penetration testing is a method of simulating real-world attacks on a network to evaluate its security posture and identify any weaknesses or gaps that could be exploited by malicious actors. Penetration testing can help the information security manager to assess the effectiveness of the existing controls, prioritize the remediation efforts, and demonstrate compliance with the relevant standards and regulations. Penetration testing can also provide valuable insights into the network architecture, configuration, and behavior, as well as the potential impact and likelihood of different types of attacks.

References = CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 4, Section 4.2.1, page 2091; CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual 9th Edition, Question 50, page 14

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 requirements are included in the vendor contract is the primary focus of the information security manager when outsourcing IT operations because it ensures that the vendor is legally bound to comply with the client’s security policies and standards, as well as any external regulations or laws. This also helps to define the roles and responsibilities of both parties, the security metrics and controls to be used, and the penalties for non-compliance or breach. Therefore, security requirements are included in the vendor contract is the correct answer.

= The most important message to convey to employees in building a security risk-aware culture is that the responsibility for security rests with all employees, not just the information security function or the management. A security risk-aware culture is a collective mindset of the people in the organization working every day to protect the enterprise and its information assets from internal and external threats. A security risk-aware culture requires the workforce to know the security risks and the processes for avoiding or mitigating them, and to make thoughtful decisions that align with security policies and standards. A security risk-aware culture also incorporates a broader corporate culture of day-to-day actions that encourage employees to report security incidents, share security best practices, and participate in security awareness and training programs. A security risk-aware culture helps to reduce the human factor that causes 90 percent of all cyberattacks, and to offset the impact of corrupted or lost data, decreased revenue, regulatory fines, and reputational damage. A security risk-aware culture turns people from assets that must be protected into assets that actively contribute to the cybersecurity and risk management posture and elevate security to being a business enabler rather than a business impediment123.

Personal information requires different security controls than sensitive information is a true statement, but it is not the most important message to convey to employees in building a security risk-aware culture. Personal information is any information that can identify or relate to a natural person, such as name, address, email, phone number, social security number, etc. Sensitive information is any information that is confidential, proprietary, or has a high value or impact to the organization, such as trade secrets, financial data, customer data, intellectual property, etc. Different types of information may have different legal, regulatory, contractual, or ethical obligations to protect them from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction. Therefore, different security controls may be applied to personal and sensitive information based on their classification, such as encryption, access control, retention, disposal, etc. However, this message does not address the broader concept of security risk-aware culture, which is not limited to information classification and protection, but also encompasses the behaviors, attitudes, and values of the employees towards security.

Employee access should be based on the principle of least privilege is a good practice, but it is not the most important message to convey to employees in building a security risk-aware culture. The principle of least privilege states that users should only have the minimum level of access and permissions that are necessary to perform their job functions, and no more. This principle helps to reduce the risk of unauthorized or inappropriate actions, such as data leakage, fraud, sabotage, etc., by limiting the exposure and impact of user activities. However, this message does not capture the essence of security risk-aware culture, which is not only about access control, but also about the awareness, understanding, and commitment of the employees to security.

Understanding an information asset’s value is critical to risk management is a valid point, but it is not the most important message to convey to employees in building a security risk-aware culture. Understanding an information asset’s value is essential to determine the potential impact and likelihood of a security risk, and to prioritize the appropriate risk response strategies, such as avoidance, mitigation, transfer, or acceptance. However, this message does not reflect the holistic nature of security risk-aware culture, which is not only about risk assessment, but also about risk communication, risk treatment, and risk monitoring. References =

Building a Culture of Security - ISACA2

The Risk-Conscious, Security-Aware Culture: The Forgotten Critical Security Control - Cisco3

CISM ITEM DEVELOPMENT GUIDE - ISACA4

The disk hash value is a unique identifier that is calculated from the binary data of the disk. It is used to verify that the disk image is an exact copy of the original disk and that no changes have occurred during the acquisition or analysis process. The disk hash value is stored externally, such as on a CD-ROM or a USB drive, to prevent tampering or corruption. The disk hash value can also be used as evidence in court to prove the authenticity and reliability of the digital evidence123 References = 1: CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, ISACA, 2017, page 2532: Guide to Computer Forensics and Investigations Fourth Edition, page 4-103: Forensic disk acquisition over the network, Andrea Fortuna, 2018.

The main purpose of creating and storing an external disk hash value when performing forensic data acquisition from a hard disk is to validate the integrity of the data during the analysis. This is done by comparing the original hash value of the disk to the hash value created during the acquisition process, which can be used to ensure that the data has not been tampered with or corrupted in any way. Additionally, by creating a hash value of the disk, it can be used to quickly verify the integrity of any data that is accessed from the disk in the future.

The information security training policy ensures that everyone within the organization, including contractors and third-party users, receives the appropriate level of security awareness and training. This policy defines how the organization communicates its security requirements, expectations, and best practices.

“Information security training policies and programs ensure that all personnel are aware of and understand the security requirements and their individual responsibilities.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 3: Information Security Program Development and Management, Section: Security Awareness and Training

The ISACA CISM practice questions emphasize that a clear training policy is the best way to communicate security practices to all involved parties.

The best way to identify the risk associated with a social engineering attack is to test user knowledge of information security practices. Social engineering is a type of attack that exploits human psychology and behavior to manipulate, deceive, or influence users into divulging sensitive information, granting unauthorized access, or performing malicious actions. Therefore, user knowledge of information security practices is a key factor that affects the likelihood and impact of a social engineering attack. By testing user knowledge of information security practices, such as through quizzes, surveys, or simulated attacks, the information security manager can measure the level of awareness, understanding, and compliance of the users, and identify the gaps, weaknesses, or vulnerabilities that need to be addressed.

Monitoring the intrusion detection system (IDS) (A) is a possible way to detect a social engineering attack, but not to identify the risk associated with it. An IDS is a system that monitors network or system activities and alerts or responds to any suspicious or malicious events. However, an IDS may not be able to prevent or recognize all types of social engineering attacks, especially those that rely on human interaction, such as phishing, vishing, or baiting. Moreover, monitoring the IDS is a reactive rather than proactive approach, as it only reveals the occurrence or consequences of a social engineering attack, not the potential or likelihood of it.

Reviewing single sign-on (SSO) authentication lags (B) is not a relevant way to identify the risk associated with a social engineering attack. SSO is a method of authentication that allows users to access multiple applications or systems with one set of credentials. Authentication lags are delays or failures in the authentication process that may affect the user experience or performance. However, authentication lags are not directly related to social engineering attacks, as they do not indicate the user’s knowledge of information security practices, nor the attacker’s attempts or success in compromising the user’s credentials or access.

Performing a business risk assessment of the email filtering system (D) is also not a relevant way to identify the risk associated with a social engineering attack. An email filtering system is a system that scans, filters, and blocks incoming or outgoing emails based on predefined rules or criteria, such as spam, viruses, or phishing. A business risk assessment is a process that evaluates the potential threats, vulnerabilities, and impacts to the organization’s business objectives, processes, and assets. However, performing a business risk assessment of the email filtering system does not address the risk associated with a social engineering attack, as it only focuses on the technical aspects and performance of the system, not the human factors and behavior of the users.

References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, Chapter 2: Information Risk Management, Section: Risk Identification, Subsection: Threat Identification, page 87-881

The document that should include contact information for representatives of equipment and software vendors is the business continuity plan (BCP) because it provides the guidance and procedures for restoring the organization’s critical business functions and operations in the event of a disruption or disaster, and may require contacting external parties such as vendors for assistance or support. Information security program charter is not a good document for this purpose because it does not provide any guidance or procedures for business continuity or disaster recovery. Business impact analysis (BIA) is not a good document for this purpose because it does not provide any guidance or procedures for business continuity or disaster recovery. Service level agreements (SLAs) are not good documents for this purpose because they do not provide any guidance or procedures for business continuity or disaster recovery. References: https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2017/volume-2/business-continuity-management-lifecycle https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2016/volume-4/business-impact-analysis

The effective execution of an incident response plan depends largely on the competence and readiness of the response team, who are responsible for carrying out the tasks and activities defined in the plan. Therefore, the best way to facilitate the effective execution of an incident response plan is to ensure that the response team is trained on the plan, and that they are familiar with their roles, responsibilities, procedures, and tools. Training the response team on the plan will also help to improve their confidence, communication, coordination, and collaboration during an incident response. The other options are not the best ways to facilitate the effective execution of an incident response plan, although they may be important factors for developing or improving the plan. The plan should be based on risk assessment results and industry best practice, but these do not guarantee that the plan will be executed effectively. The incident response plan should align with the IT disaster recovery plan, but this does not ensure that the response team is prepared and capable of executing the plan. References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, page 1031

The best way to facilitate the effective execution of an incident response plan is to ensure that the response team is trained on the plan. An incident response plan is a set of instructions that defines the roles, responsibilities, procedures, and tools for detecting, responding to, and recovering from security incidents. An incident response team is a group of individuals that are assigned to perform specific tasks and activities during an incident response process. The response team may include security analysts, IT staff, legal counsel, public relations, and other stakeholders. To execute an incident response plan effectively, the response team needs to be trained on the plan, which means they need to be familiar with the following aspects of the plan: The scope and objectives of the plan The roles and responsibilities of each team member The communication and escalation protocols The incident classification and prioritization criteria The incident response procedures and tools The incident documentation and reporting requirements The incident review and improvement processes By training the response team on the plan, the organization can ensure that the team members are prepared and confident to handle any security incidents that may occur, and that they can perform their tasks efficiently and consistently. The other options are not the best way to facilitate the effective execution of an incident response plan, although they may be some steps or outcomes of the process. The plan being based on risk assessment results is a desirable practice, as it ensures that the plan is aligned with the organization’s risk profile and addresses the most relevant and likely threats and vulnerabilities. However, it does not guarantee that the plan will be executed effectively unless the response team is trained on the plan. The plan being based on industry best practice is a desirable practice, as it ensures that the plan follows established standards and guidelines for incident response. However, it does not guarantee that the plan will be executed effectively unless the response team is trained on the plan. The incident response plan aligning with the IT disaster recovery plan (DRP) is a desirable practice, as it ensures that the plans are consistent and coordinated in terms of objectives, scope, roles, procedures, and tools. However, it does not guarantee that the plan will be executed effectively unless the response team is trained on the plan

The first thing an information security manager should do after learning through mass media of a data breach at the organization’s hosted payroll service provider is to validate the breach with the provider, which means contacting the provider directly and confirming the details and scope of the breach, such as when it occurred, what data was compromised, and what actions the provider is taking to mitigate the impact. Validating the breach with the provider can help the information security manager assess the situation accurately and plan the next steps accordingly. The other options, such as suspending the data exchange, notifying regulatory authorities, or initiating the business continuity plan, may be premature or unnecessary before validating the breach with the provider. References:

https://www.wired.com/story/sequoia-hr-data-breach/

https://cybernews.com/news/kronos-major-hr-and-payroll-service-provider-hit-with-ransomware-warns-of-a-long-outage/

https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/pay-in-crisis-as-major-payroll-company-hacked-20211117-p599mr

Corporate culture is the most important factor to consider when trying to gain organization-wide support for an information security program because it reflects the values, beliefs, and behaviors of the organization and its members. Corporate culture influences how the organization perceives, prioritizes, and responds to information security risks and issues, and how it adopts and implements information security policies and practices. By understanding and aligning with the corporate culture, the information security manager can communicate the benefits and value of the information security program, and foster a positive and collaborative security culture across the organization.

Exploit code for one of the vulnerabilities is publicly available presents the greatest concern because it means that anyone can easily exploit the vulnerability and compromise the web application. This increases the risk of data breach, denial of service, or other malicious attacks. Therefore, exploit code for one of the vulnerabilities is publicly available is the correct answer.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation = The impact on the risk culture is the greatest concern for the information security manager, because it reflects the attitude and behavior of the organization towards risk management. If management accepts an operational risk that compromises a critical monitoring process, it may indicate a lack of awareness, commitment, or accountability for risk management. This may erode the trust and confidence of the stakeholders, regulators, and customers, and expose the organization to further risks. The impact on compliance risk, the inability to determine short-term impact, and the deviation from risk management best practices are also important, but they are secondary to the impact on the risk culture.

References = CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 48. CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Database - 12 Month Subscription, question ID 421.