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WorksheetsCISM
Total questions: 80
Worksheet time: 40mins
An information security manager at a global organization has to ensure that the local information security program will initially ensure compliance with the:
A. corporate data privacy policy.
B. data privacy policy where data are collected.
C. data privacy policy of the headquarters' country.
D. data privacy directive applicable globally.
A new regulation for safeguarding information processed by a specific type of transaction has come to the attention of an information security officer. The officer should FIRST:
A. meet with stakeholders to decide how to comply.
B. analyze key risks in the compliance process.
C. assess whether existing controls meet the regulation.
D. update the existing security/privacy policy.
The PRIMARY objective of a security steering group is to:
A. ensure information security covers all business functions.
B. ensure information security aligns with business goals.
C. raise information security awareness across the organization.
D. implement all decisions on security management across the organization.
Data owners must provide a safe and secure environment to ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of the transaction. This is an example of an information security:
A. baseline.
B. strategy.
C. procedure.
D. policy.
At what stage of the applications development process should the security department initially become involved?
A. When requested
B. At testing
C. At programming
D. At detail requirements
A security manager is preparing a report to obtain the commitment of executive management to a security program. Inclusion of which of the following would be of MOST value?
A. Examples of genuine incidents at similar organizations
B. Statement of generally accepted best practices
C. Associating realistic threats to corporate objectives
D. Analysis of current technological exposures
When personal information is transmitted across networks, there MUST be adequate controls over:
A. change management.
B. privacy protection.
C. consent to data transfer.
D. encryption devices.
The PRIMARY concern of an information security manager documenting a formal data retention policy would be:
A. generally accepted industry best practices.
B. business requirements.
C. legislative and regulatory requirements.
D. storage availability.
An organization's information security processes are currently defined as ad hoc. In seeking to improve their performance level, the next step for the organization should be to:
A. ensure that security processes are consistent across the organization.
B. enforce baseline security levels across the organization.
C. ensure that security processes are fully documented.
D. implement monitoring of key performance indicators for security processes.
Who in an organization has the responsibility for classifying information?
A. Data custodian
B. Database administrator
C. Information security officer
D. Data owner
What is the PRIMARY role of the information security manager in the process of information classification within an organization?
A. Defining and ratifying the classification structure of information assets
B. Deciding the classification levels applied to the organization's information assets
C. Securing information assets in accordance with their classification
D. Checking if information assets have been classified properly
Logging is an example of which type of defense against systems compromise?
A. Containment
B. Detection
C. Reaction
D. Recovery
Which of the following is MOST important in developing a security strategy?
A. Creating a positive business security environment
B. Understanding key business objectives
C. Having a reporting line to senior management
D. Allocating sufficient resources to information security
Who is ultimately responsible for the organization's information?
A. Data custodian
B. Chief information security officer (CISO)
C. Board of directors
D. Chief information officer (CIO)
Which of the following factors is a PRIMARY driver for information security governance that does not require any further justification?
A. Alignment with industry best practices
B. Business continuity investment
C. Business benefits
D. Regulatory compliance
A security manager meeting the requirements for the international flow of personal data will need to ensure:
A. a data processing agreement.
B. a data protection registration.
C. the agreement of the data subjects.
D. subject access procedures.
An information security manager mapping a job description to types of data access is MOST likely to adhere to which of the following information security principles?
A. Ethics
B. Proportionality
C. Integration
D. Accountability
Which of the following is the MOST important prerequisite for establishing information security management within an organization?
A. Senior management commitment
B. Information security framework
C. Information security organizational structure
D. Information security policy
What will have the HIGHEST impact on standard information security governance models?
A. Number of employees
B. Distance between physical locations
C. Complexity of organizational structure
D. Organizational budget
In order to highlight to management, the importance of integrating information security in the business processes, a newly hired information security officer should FIRST:
A. prepare a security budget.
B. conduct a risk assessment.
C. develop an information security policy.
D. obtain benchmarking information.
When an organization hires a new information security manager, which of the following goals should this individual pursue FIRST?
A. Develop a security architecture
B. Establish good communication with steering committee members
C. Assemble an experienced staff
D. Benchmark peer organizations
It is MOST important that information security architecture be aligned with which of the following?
A. Industry best practices
B. Information technology plans
C. Information security best practices
D. Business objectives and goals
Which of the following is MOST likely to be discretionary?
A. Policies
B. Procedures
C. Guidelines
D. Standards
Security technologies should be selected PRIMARILY on the basis of their:
A. ability to mitigate business risks.
B. evaluations in trade publications.
C. use of new and emerging technologies.
D. benefits in comparison to their costs.
Which of the following are seldom changed in response to technological changes?
A. Standards
B. Procedures
C. Policies
D. Guidelines
The MOST important factor in planning for the long-term retention of electronically stored business records is to take into account potential changes in:
A. storage capacity and shelf life.
B. regulatory and legal requirements.
C. business strategy and direction.
D. application systems and media.
Which of the following is characteristic of decentralized information security management across a geographically dispersed organization?
A. More uniformity in quality of service
B. Better adherence to policies
C. Better alignment to business unit needs
D. More savings in total operating costs
Which of the following is the MOST appropriate position to sponsor the design and implementation of a new security infrastructure in a large global enterprise?
A. Chief security officer (CSO)
B. Chief operating officer (COO)
C. Chief privacy officer (CPO)
D. Chief legal counsel (CLC)
Which of the following would be the MOST important goal of an information security governance program?
A. Review of internal control mechanisms
B. Effective involvement in business decision making
C. Total elimination of risk factors
D. Ensuring trust in data
Relationships among security technologies are BEST defined through which of the following?
A. Security metrics
B. Network topology
C. Security architecture
D. Process improvement models
A business unit intends to deploy a new technology in a manner that places it in violation of existing information security standards. What immediate action should an information security manager take?
A. Enforce the existing security standard
B. Change the standard to permit the deployment
C. Perform a risk analysis to quantify the risk
D. Perform research to propose use of a better technology
Acceptable levels of information security risk should be determined by:
A. legal counsel.
B. security management.
C. external auditors.
D. die steering committee.
The PRIMARY goal in developing an information security strategy is to:
A. establish security metrics and performance monitoring.
B. educate business process owners regarding their duties.
C. ensure that legal and regulatory requirements are met
D. support the business objectives of the organization.
Senior management commitment and support for information security can BEST be enhanced through:
A. a formal security policy sponsored by the chief executive officer (CEO).
B. regular security awareness training for employees.
C. periodic review of alignment with business management goals.
D. senior management signoff on the information security strategy.
When identifying legal and regulatory issues affecting information security, which of the following would represent the BEST approach to developing information security policies?
A. Create separate policies to address each regulation
B. Develop policies that meet all mandated requirements
C. Incorporate policy statements provided by regulators
D. Develop a compliance risk assessment
Which of the following MOST commonly falls within the scope of an information security governance steering committee?
A. Interviewing candidates for information security specialist positions
B. Developing content for security awareness programs
C. Prioritizing information security initiatives
D. Approving access to critical financial systems
Which of the following is the MOST important factor when designing information security architecture?
A. Technical platform interfaces
B. Scalability of the network
C. Development methodologies
D. Stakeholder requirements
Which of the following characteristics is MOST important when looking at prospective candidates for the role of chief information security officer (CISO)?
A. Knowledge of information technology platforms, networks and development methodologies
B. Ability to understand and map organizational needs to security technologies
C. Knowledge of the regulatory environment and project management techniques
D. Ability to manage a diverse group of individuals and resources across an organization
Which of the following are likely to be updated MOST frequently?
A. Procedures for hardening database servers
B. Standards for password length and complexity
C. Policies addressing information security governance
D. Standards for document retention and destruction
Who should be responsible for enforcing access rights to application data?
A. Data owners
B. Business process owners
C. The security steering committee
D. Security administrators
Temporarily deactivating some monitoring processes, even if supported by an acceptance of operational risk, may not be acceptable to the information security manager if:
A. it implies compliance risks.
B. short-term impact cannot be determined.
C. it violates industry security practices.
D. changes in the roles matrix cannot be detected.
An outcome of effective security governance is:
A. business dependency assessment
B. strategic alignment.
C. risk assessment.
D. planning.
How would an information security manager balance the potentially conflicting requirements of an international organization's security standards and local regulation?
A. Give organization standards preference over local regulations
B. Follow local regulations only
C. Make the organization aware of those standards where local regulations causes conflicts
D. Negotiate a local version of the organization standards
Who should drive the risk analysis for an organization?
A. Senior management
B. Security manager
C. Quality manager
D. Legal department
The FIRST step in developing an information security management program is to:
A. identify business risks that affect the organization.
B. clarify organizational purpose for creating the program.
C. assign responsibility for the program.
D. assess adequacy of controls to mitigate business risks.
Which of the following is the MOST important to keep in mind when assessing the value of information?
A. The potential financial loss
B. The cost of recreating the information
C. The cost of insurance coverage
D. Regulatory requirement
What would a security manager PRIMARILY utilize when proposing the implementation of a security solution?
A. Risk assessment report
B. Technical evaluation report
C. Business case
D. Budgetary requirements
To justify its ongoing security budget, which of the following would be of MOST use to the information security' department?
A. Security breach frequency
B. Annualized loss expectancy (ALE)
C. Cost-benefit analysis
D. Peer group comparison
Which of the following situations would MOST inhibit the effective implementation of security governance?
A. The complexity of technology
B. Budgetary constraints
C. Conflicting business priorities
D. High-level sponsorship
What would be the MOST significant security risks when using wireless local area network (LAN) technology?
A. Man-in-the-middle attack
B. Spoofing of data packets
C. Rogue access point
D. Session hijacking
To achieve effective strategic alignment of security initiatives, it is important that:
A. Steering committee leadership be selected by rotation.
B. Inputs be obtained and consensus achieved between the major organizational units.
C. The business strategy be updated periodically.
D. Procedures and standards be approved by all departmental heads.
When developing incident response procedures involving servers hosting critical applications, which of the following should be the FIRST to be notified?
A. Business management
B. Operations manager
C. Information security manager
D. System users
In implementing information security governance, the information security manager is PRIMARILY responsible for:
A. developing the security strategy.
B. reviewing the security strategy.
C. communicating the security strategy.
D. approving the security strategy
An information security strategy document that includes specific links to an organization's business activities is PRIMARILY an indicator of:
A. performance measurement.
B. integration.
C. alignment.
D. value delivery.
When an organization is setting up a relationship with a third-party IT service provider, which of the following is one of the MOST important topics to include in the contract from a security standpoint?
A. Compliance with international security standards.
B. Use of a two-factor authentication system.
C. Existence of an alternate hot site in case of business disruption.
D. Compliance with the organization's information security requirements.
To justify the need to invest in a forensic analysis tool, an information security manager should FIRST:
A. review the functionalities and implementation requirements of the solution.
B. review comparison reports of tool implementation in peer companies.
C. provide examples of situations where such a tool would be useful.
D. substantiate the investment in meeting organizational needs.
The MOST useful way to describe the objectives in the information security strategy is through:
A. attributes and characteristics of the 'desired state."
B. overall control objectives of the security program.
C. mapping the IT systems to key business processes.
D. calculation of annual loss expectations.
In order to highlight to management, the importance of network security, the security manager should FIRST:
A. develop a security architecture.
B. install a network intrusion detection system (NIDS) and prepare a list of attacks.
C. develop a network security policy.
D. conduct a risk assessment.
When developing an information security program, what is the MOST useful source of information for determining available resources?
A. Proficiency test
B. Job descriptions
C. Organization chart
D. Skills inventory
The MOST important characteristic of good security policies is that they:
A. state expectations of IT management.
B. state only one general security mandate.
C. are aligned with organizational goals.
D. govern the creation of procedures and guidelines.
The chief information security officer (CISO) should ideally have a direct reporting relationship to the:
A. head of internal audit.
B. chief operations officer (COO).
C. chief technology officer (CTO).
D. legal counsel.
Which of the following is the MOST essential task for a chief information security officer (CISO) to perform?
A. Update platform-level security settings
B. Conduct disaster recovery test exercises
C. Approve access to critical financial systems
D. Develop an information security strategy paper
Developing a successful business case for the acquisition of information security software products can BEST be assisted by:
A. assessing the frequency of incidents.
B. quantifying the cost of control failures.
C. calculating return on investment (ROI) projections.
D. comparing spending against similar organizations.
When an information security manager is developing a strategic plan for information security, the timeline for the plan should be:
A. aligned with the IT strategic plan.
B. based on the current rate of technological change.
C. three-to-five years for both hardware and software.
D. aligned with the business strategy.
Which of the following is the MOST important information to include in a strategic plan for information security?
A. Information security staffing requirements
B. Current state and desired future state
C. IT capital investment requirements
D. information security mission statement
Information security projects should be prioritized on the basis of:
A. time required for implementation.
B. impact on the organization.
C. total cost for implementation.
D. mix of resources required.
Which of the following is the MOST important information to include in an information security standard?
A. Creation date
B. Author name
C. Initial draft approval date
D. Last review date
Which of the following would BEST prepare an information security manager for regulatory reviews?
A. Assign an information security administrator as regulatory liaison
B. Perform self-assessments using regulatory guidelines and reports
C. Assess previous regulatory reports with process owners input
D. Ensure all regulatory inquiries are sanctioned by the legal department
An information security manager at a global organization that is subject to regulation by multiple governmental jurisdictions with differing requirements should:
A. bring all locations into conformity with the aggregate requirements of all governmental jurisdictions.
B. establish baseline standards for all locations and add supplemental standards as required.
C. bring all locations into conformity with a generally accepted set of industry best practices.
D. establish a baseline standard incorporating those requirements that all jurisdictions have in common.
Which of the following BEST describes an information security manager's role in a multidisciplinary team that will address a new regulatory requirement regarding operational risk?
A. Ensure that all IT risks are identified
B. Evaluate the impact of information security risks
C. Demonstrate that IT mitigating controls are in place
D. Suggest new IT controls to mitigate operational risk
From an information security manager perspective, what is the immediate benefit of clearly-defined roles and responsibilities?
A. Enhanced policy compliance
B. Improved procedure flows
C. Segregation of duties
D. Better accountability
An internal audit has identified major weaknesses over IT processing. Which of the following should an information security manager use to BEST convey a sense of urgency to management?
A. Security metrics reports
B. Risk assessment reports
C. Business impact analysis (BIA)
D. Return on security investment report
Reviewing which of the following would BEST ensure that security controls are effective?
A. Risk assessment policies
B. Return on security investment
C. Security metrics
D. User access rights
Which of the following is responsible for legal and regulatory liability?
A. Chief security officer (CSO)
B. Chief legal counsel (CLC)
C. Board and senior management
D. Information security steering group
While implementing information security governance an organization should FIRST:
A. adopt security standards.
B. determine security baselines.
C. define the security strategy.
D. establish security policies.
The MOST basic requirement for an information security governance program is to:
A. be aligned with the corporate business strategy.
B. be based on a sound risk management approach.
C. provide adequate regulatory compliance.
D. provide best practices for security- initiatives.
Information security policy enforcement is the responsibility of the:
A. security steering committee.
B. chief information officer (CIO).
C. chief information security officer (CISO).
D. chief compliance officer (CCO).
A good privacy statement should include:
A. notification of liability on accuracy of information.
B. notification that information will be encrypted.
C. what the company will do with information it collects.
D. a description of the information classification process.
Which of the following would be MOST effective in successfully implementing restrictive password policies?
A. Regular password audits
B. Single sign-on system
C. Security awareness program
D. Penalties for noncompliance
When designing an information security quarterly report to management, the MOST important element to be considered should be the:
A. information security metrics.
B. knowledge required to analyze each issue.
C. linkage to business area objectives.
D. baseline against which metrics are evaluated.
