Isaca CISM Practice Test 22
Question 210
A bank wants to expand into embedded finance partnerships and expose customer APIs to third parties. The accountable executive now asks the team to present options for security investment to the board. What should the security manager recommend?
- Identify partner/API risk scenarios and link them to business growth objectives
- Compare risk and business impact of alternative API protection approaches
- Build an architecture-driven security roadmap with business launch gates
- Revisit risk appetite, contract obligations and capacity forecasts for the enlarged ecosystem
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Decision makers need options framed in business consequences. This is the specified management outcome in the scenario; it gives the accountable team an action matched to the stated requirement.
Incorrect Answers
A:Security strategy must account for new revenue channels. That action primarily serves the different objective to incorporate ecosystem dependence into the security strategy. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to present options for security investment to the board.
C:Dependencies avoid releasing an ungoverned interface. That action primarily serves the different objective to prioritize controls that are dependencies for partner launch. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to present options for security investment to the board.
D:Growth may outstrip previously accepted exposure. That action primarily serves the different objective to check strategic assumptions after partnership expansion. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to present options for security investment to the board.
Question 211
A public authority is replacing fragmented policies with a unified security management system. After reviewing the situation, the management objective is to make exceptions to a baseline auditable. Which response MOST directly addresses it?
- Institute periodic and event-driven policy reviews with accountable owners
- Record rationale, authorizer, expiry and compensating controls in an exception register
- Use an approved policy hierarchy aligned to statutory duties and enterprise goals
- Specify required outcomes in policy and maintain procedures for implementation detail
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Controlled exceptions prevent permanent informal drift. This is the specified management outcome in the scenario; it gives the accountable team an action matched to the stated requirement.
Incorrect Answers
A:A management system must adapt to changed operations. That action primarily serves the different objective to keep the framework relevant as services change. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to make exceptions to a baseline auditable.
C:Policy authority depends on governing obligations. That action primarily serves the different objective to decide which governance policies are mandatory organization-wide. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to make exceptions to a baseline auditable.
D:Stable policy should not become a step-by-step manual. That action primarily serves the different objective to distinguish high-level security policy from detailed work instructions. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to make exceptions to a baseline auditable.
Question 212
A media company funds its security program through individual project requests that compete with content production. For the next governance decision, the team must assign accountable funding sponsors. Which choice BEST provides that outcome?
- Require business sponsors to own benefits and residual-risk decisions
- Apply consistent likelihood, impact, control gap and dependency criteria
- Use a multi-year portfolio business case linking security initiatives to business risks
- Rebalance the portfolio through formal governance using updated risk and funding assumptions
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:The security team alone should not accept business costs and impacts. This is the specified management outcome in the scenario; it gives the accountable team an action matched to the stated requirement.
Incorrect Answers
B:Comparable risk criteria reduce political ranking. That action primarily serves the different objective to prioritize proposals when all claim to be urgent. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to assign accountable funding sponsors.
C:Portfolio funding supports strategic decisions. That action primarily serves the different objective to connect security funding to enterprise objectives. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to assign accountable funding sponsors.
D:New enterprise risks can justify reprioritization. That action primarily serves the different objective to react to a high-priority business acquisition midyear. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to assign accountable funding sponsors.
Question 213
A global manufacturer uses a central enterprise architecture board to approve applications, platforms and integration patterns. The security program has been tasked specifically to handle an innovative solution outside the standard pattern. Which approach should be selected?
- Aggregate repeated architecture exceptions and control debt with owners and remediation commitments
- Require a documented threat/risk review and time-limited architecture exception
- Define security reference architectures and approved control patterns
- Set security decision gates for new architectures before design approval
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:An exception can be governed without abandoning standards. This is the specified management outcome in the scenario; it gives the accountable team an action matched to the stated requirement.
Incorrect Answers
A:Patterns of exceptions can reveal structural risk. That action primarily serves the different objective to report systemic architectural risk to management. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to handle an innovative solution outside the standard pattern.
C:Reusable patterns promote consistent protection. That action primarily serves the different objective to avoid inconsistent controls across similar business systems. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to handle an innovative solution outside the standard pattern.
D:Architecture review gives early leverage over recurring risks. That action primarily serves the different objective to embed cyber requirements into the architecture review cycle. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to handle an innovative solution outside the standard pattern.
Question 214
A retailer's security architects are creating a reference model for identity, data and network protections. A security manager has a defined assignment: resolve a proposal that bypasses an architecture trust boundary. Which action BEST fulfills that specific assignment?
- Publish reference security architectures with reusable trust-zone and identity patterns
- Approve least-privilege, segmentation and data-protection principles tied to business needs
- Require a risk assessment and accountable exemption before design authorization
- Review new trust dependencies and update reference patterns before widespread reuse
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Control bypasses change accepted residual exposure. This is the specified management outcome in the scenario; it gives the accountable team an action matched to the stated requirement.
Incorrect Answers
A:Patterns connect policy outcomes to designs. That action primarily serves the different objective to ensure system designs implement consistent control boundaries. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to resolve a proposal that bypasses an architecture trust boundary.
B:Principles guide design without choosing one vendor. That action primarily serves the different objective to set architecture principles aligned to enterprise risk. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to resolve a proposal that bypasses an architecture trust boundary.
D:Platform changes can invalidate old architectural assumptions. That action primarily serves the different objective to reassess a reference architecture after a new cloud migration. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to resolve a proposal that bypasses an architecture trust boundary.
Question 215
A financial services firm operates a three-lines model with executives, independent risk oversight and internal audit. The accountable executive now asks the team to protect internal audit independence when testing controls. What should the security manager recommend?
- Keep third-line auditors separate from designing or operating the controls they assess
- Set independent risk challenge, guidance and monitoring responsibilities
- Assign operational risk ownership to business management of each affected process
- Review evidence of challenge, remediation ownership and audit follow-up
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Assurance loses credibility when auditors test their own work. This is the specified management outcome in the scenario; it gives the accountable team an action matched to the stated requirement.
Incorrect Answers
B:Second-line oversight should not replace business ownership. That action primarily serves the different objective to define the security risk function's second-line contribution. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to protect internal audit independence when testing controls.
C:Business leaders own risks generated by their activities. That action primarily serves the different objective to identify who owns day-to-day security risks. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to protect internal audit independence when testing controls.
D:Role labels alone do not demonstrate effective oversight. That action primarily serves the different objective to evaluate whether the three lines coordinate effectively. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to protect internal audit independence when testing controls.
Question 216
A telecommunications provider serves regulated businesses with strict notification and data-residency contracts. After reviewing the situation, the management objective is to build evidence for compliance inspections. Which response MOST directly addresses it?
- Map each requirement to operating controls, owners and retained evidence
- Maintain a legal and contractual requirement matrix by customer and service location
- Use regulatory-change monitoring and contract renewal gates to trigger review
- Trace storage, replication and support access locations through the delivery chain
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:A requirement-to-control map enables accountable attestations. This is the specified management outcome in the scenario; it gives the accountable team an action matched to the stated requirement.
Incorrect Answers
B:Requirements must be known before controls are selected. That action primarily serves the different objective to collect applicable security requirements before a new service launch. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to build evidence for compliance inspections.
C:Compliance assumptions expire as obligations change. That action primarily serves the different objective to identify when requirements need reassessment. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to build evidence for compliance inspections.
D:Residency concerns include subcontractors and recovery copies. That action primarily serves the different objective to determine whether a new supplier meets residency promises. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to build evidence for compliance inspections.
Question 217
A software vendor's executives want its security plan to support entry into government markets. For the next governance decision, the team must convince commercial leaders to fund security work. Which choice BEST provides that outcome?
- Report qualified customer eligibility and unresolved security blockers against the plan
- Present expected market access benefits alongside risk and investment alternatives
- Build a capability roadmap with dependencies and named sponsors
- Translate public-sector contract expectations into strategic security outcomes
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Commercial benefits can justify controls that exceed minimum compliance. This is the specified management outcome in the scenario; it gives the accountable team an action matched to the stated requirement.
Incorrect Answers
A:Business-facing outcomes demonstrate effectiveness. That action primarily serves the different objective to judge whether the strategic plan is delivering value. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to convince commercial leaders to fund security work.
C:A roadmap coordinates prerequisites and resources. That action primarily serves the different objective to sequence certification and control initiatives realistically. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to convince commercial leaders to fund security work.
D:Market goals define what security must enable. That action primarily serves the different objective to identify security objectives that contribute to market entry. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to convince commercial leaders to fund security work.
Question 218
A nonprofit organization's board approved a security strategy but has not assigned resources to implement it. The security program has been tasked specifically to avoid governance confusion between donor restrictions and security spending. Which approach should be selected?
- Approve a funded plan with accountable owners, milestones and realistic staffing
- Escalate a documented funding tradeoff and risk implications to the authorized board committee
- Rank initiatives by mission impact and residual-risk reduction per cost
- Review financing constraints with legal and finance before allocating restricted funds
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Funding restrictions may limit usable budget. This is the specified management outcome in the scenario; it gives the accountable team an action matched to the stated requirement.
Incorrect Answers
A:Without resources an approved strategy remains aspirational. That action primarily serves the different objective to convert strategy approval into actionable commitment. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to avoid governance confusion between donor restrictions and security spending.
B:An unmet mandatory obligation needs a governance decision. That action primarily serves the different objective to resolve an over-budget mandatory control. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to avoid governance confusion between donor restrictions and security spending.
C:Prioritization must reflect mission continuity. That action primarily serves the different objective to prioritize controls under severe donation budget limits. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to avoid governance confusion between donor restrictions and security spending.
Question 219
A regional hospital sees new ransomware activity against healthcare suppliers but has no confirmed intrusion. A security manager has a defined assignment: select a proportionate risk response before an incident occurs. Which action BEST fulfills that specific assignment?
- Map the threat's observed techniques to exposed clinical dependencies and current controls
- Propose specific access and recovery control changes to the clinical risk owner
- Retest identified attack paths and independently review recovery evidence
- Prioritize clinical applications using dependency maps and credible attack paths
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Risk treatment must address plausible attack routes. This is the specified management outcome in the scenario; it gives the accountable team an action matched to the stated requirement.
Incorrect Answers
A:Threat relevance depends on the local exposure and potential care impact. That action primarily serves the different objective to decide whether the emerging threat is relevant to hospital operations. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to select a proportionate risk response before an incident occurs.
C:Control evidence is stronger than a vendor installation claim. That action primarily serves the different objective to assess whether the response reduced exposure. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to select a proportionate risk response before an incident occurs.
D:Critical-process exposure matters more than generic attack headlines. That action primarily serves the different objective to identify the most vulnerable critical process. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to select a proportionate risk response before an incident occurs.
Question 220
A fintech discovers that its production API has an unpatched weakness but compensating controls restrict exploitability. The accountable executive now asks the team to choose an interim response if code remediation is delayed. What should the security manager recommend?
- Record the service owner as risk owner with security providing challenge
- Validate reachability, authentication barriers and business impact of exploitation
- Require tested compensating controls with an approved expiry and patch date
- Verify the fixed API and retire exceptions only after retesting
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Temporary measures need limits and ownership. This is the specified management outcome in the scenario; it gives the accountable team an action matched to the stated requirement.
Incorrect Answers
A:Operations owns the risk from its service. That action primarily serves the different objective to assign accountability for the vulnerability decision. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to choose an interim response if code remediation is delayed.
B:A severity score alone does not measure realized business risk. That action primarily serves the different objective to establish how exposed the weakness is in context. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to choose an interim response if code remediation is delayed.
D:A change ticket is not evidence the weakness was resolved. That action primarily serves the different objective to close the issue appropriately. It is not the step that directly satisfies the stated need to choose an interim response if code remediation is delayed.