CISM Exam Dumps - Certified Information Security Manager

A centralized incident response team ensures consistent communication, coordination, and a unified approach to managing incidents across the organization.

“A centralized incident response team provides a consistent and coordinated approach to incident handling and ensures that management is kept informed.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 4: Incident Management, Section: Incident Response Organization Models*

= The best way to enable the integration of information security governance into corporate governance is to establish an information security steering committee with business representation. An information security steering committee is a group of senior executives and managers from different business units and functions who are responsible for overseeing, directing, and supporting the information security program and strategy of the organization. An information security steering committee with business representation can enable the integration of information security governance into corporate governance by providing the following benefits12:

Align the information security objectives and priorities with the business objectives and priorities, and ensure that the information security program and strategy support and enable the achievement of the organizational goals and performance.

Communicate and promote the value and importance of information security to the board of directors, senior management, and other stakeholders, and ensure that information security is considered and incorporated in the decision making and planning processes of the organization.

Provide guidance and direction to the information security manager and the information security team, and ensure that they have the necessary authority, resources, and support to implement and maintain the information security program and strategy effectively and efficiently.

Monitor and evaluate the performance and outcomes of the information security program and strategy, and ensure that they are aligned with the expectations and requirements of the organization and its stakeholders, as well as the relevant laws, regulations, standards, and best practices.

Identify and address the issues, challenges, and opportunities related to information security, and ensure that the information security program and strategy are continuously improved and updated to reflect the changes and developments in the internal and external environment.

The other options are not the best way to enable the integration of information security governance into corporate governance, as they are less comprehensive, effective, or influential than establishing an information security steering committee with business representation. Well-documented information security policies and standards are important components of the information security program and strategy, but they are not sufficient to enable the integration of information security governance into corporate governance, as they may not reflect or align with the business needs, priorities, or expectations, and they may not be communicated, implemented, or enforced properly or consistently across the organization. Clear lines of authority across the organization are important factors for the information security governance structure, but they are not sufficient to enable the integration of information security governance into corporate governance, as they may not ensure the involvement, participation, or support of the senior executives, managers, and other stakeholders who are responsible for or affected by information security. Senior management approval of the information security strategy is an important outcome of the information security governance process, but it is not sufficient to enable the integration of information security governance into corporate governance, as it may not ensure the alignment, communication, or monitoring of the information security strategy with the business strategy, and it may not ensure the accountability, responsibility, or authority of the information security manager and the information security team12. References = CISM Domain 1: Information Security Governance (ISG) [2022 update], Information Security Governance for CISM® | Pluralsight, Aligning Information Security with Business Strategy - ISACA, Aligning Information Security with Business Objectives - ISACA

When responding to a major security incident that could disrupt the business, the information security manager’s most important course of action is to follow the escalation process. The escalation process is a predefined set of steps and procedures that define who should be notified, when, how, and with what information in the event of a security incident. The escalation process helps to ensure that the appropriate stakeholders, such as senior management, business units, legal counsel, public relations, and external parties, are informed and involved in the incident response process. The escalation process also helps to coordinate the actions and decisions of the incident response team and the business continuity team, and to align the incident response objectives with the business priorities and goals. The escalation process should be documented and communicated as part of the incident response plan, and should be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect the changes in the organization’s structure, roles, and responsibilities.

References =

CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 1631

CISM 2020: Incident Management and Response, video 32

Incident Response Models3

The primary basis for establishing metrics that measure the effectiveness of an information security program should be the risk tolerance of the organization, which is the degree of risk that the organization is willing to accept or avoid in pursuit of its objectives. Metrics based on risk tolerance can help to evaluate whether the information security program is aligned with the business strategy, supports the risk management process, and delivers value to the organization. Residual risk, regulatory requirements, and control objectives are also important factors to consider when developing metrics, but they are not as fundamental as the risk tolerance.

References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, page 69

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 Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a legally binding document that defines the performance and compliance expectations for third-party services, including information security requirements. It is the best mechanism to ensure that the third-party backup site meets ongoing security standards.

“SLAs should include security, availability, and performance expectations to align third-party services with organizational policies.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 3: Program Development, Section: Third-Party Relationships*

 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