Isaca CISM - Certified Information Security Manager

Performing a bit-by-bit backup of the hard disk using a write-blocking device is the first step to do when a forensic examination of a PC is required, but the PC has been switched off because it helps to create a forensically sound copy of the original evidence without altering or damaging it. A bit-by-bit backup, also known as a physical or raw image, is a complete copy of every bit on the hard disk, including the unallocated or deleted data. A write-blocking device is a hardware or software tool that prevents any write operations to the hard disk, such as updating timestamps or changing file attributes. Performing a bit-by-bit backup of the hard disk using a write-blocking device ensures the integrity and authenticity of the evidence and allows the forensic analysis to be conducted on the duplicate image rather than the original source. Therefore, performing a bit-by-bit backup of the hard disk using a write-blocking device is the correct answer.

 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

Alignment with an established information security framework is the BEST way to facilitate the development of a comprehensive information security policy, because it provides a consistent and structured approach to define, implement, and maintain the policy across the organization. An information security framework is a set of best practices, standards, and guidelines that help to ensure the effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance of the information security policy.

References =

CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, ISACA, 2020, p. 35: “An information security framework is a set of best practices, standards, and guidelines that provide a consistent and structured approach to information security governance.”

CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, ISACA, 2020, p. 36: “The information security policy should be aligned with an established information security framework to ensure its effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance.”

 Information security is the most critical function when initiating the removal of system access for terminated employees, as it is responsible for ensuring that the access rights of the employees are revoked in a timely and effective manner, and that the security of the organization’s data and systems is maintained. Information security should coordinate with other functions, such as HR, legal, and help desk, to implement the access removal process, but it is the primary function that has the authority and capability to disable or delete the access credentials of the terminated employees. The other options are not as critical as information security, as they may have different roles or responsibilities in the access removal process, or they may not have direct access to the systems or tools that control the access rights of the employees. References =

CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, page 114: “Information security is responsible for ensuring that access rights are revoked in a timely and effective manner.”

SOC 2 Controls: Access Removal for Terminated or Transferred Users, snippets: “Systems access that is no longer required for terminated or transferred users is removed within one business day. For terminated employees, access to key IT systems is revoked in a timely manner. A termination checklist and ticket are completed, and access is revoked for employees as a component of the employee termination process.”

IT Involvement in Employee Termination, A Checklist, snippets: “Disable all network access. If your company uses a master access list of active passwords, tell the system to deny any passcodes associated with the user being terminated. If your system doesn’t have a deny function, delete the user and their associated passwords. Monitor employee access.”

Human resources (HR) is the most critical function when initiating the removal of system access for terminated employees because it is responsible for notifying the relevant parties, such as information security, help desk, and legal, of the employee’s termination status and date. HR also ensures that the employee’s exit process is completed and documented, and that the employee returns any company-owned devices or assets. HR also coordinates with the employee’s manager and team to ensure a smooth transition of work and responsibilities.

Before conducting full-functional continuity testing, an information security manager should verify that teams and individuals responsible for recovery have been identified and trained on their roles and responsibilities. This will ensure that the testing can be executed effectively and efficiently, as well as identify any gaps or issues in the recovery process. Risk acceptance by the business, copies of plans kept offsite and plans documented in simple language are all good practices for continuity management, but they are not as important as having clear roles and responsibilities defined before testing.

 A snapshot is a point-in-time copy of the state of a virtual machine (VM) that can be used to restore the VM to a previous state in case of a security incident or a disaster. A snapshot can capture the VM’s disk, memory, and device configuration, allowing for a quick and easy recovery of the VM’s data and functionality. Snapshots can also be used to create backups, clones, or replicas of VMs for testing, analysis, or migration purposes. Snapshots are a common service offering in Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) models, where customers can provision and manage VMs on demand from a cloud service provider (CSP). A CSP that offers the capability to take snapshots of VMs can assist customers when recovering from a security incident by providing them with the following benefits12:

Faster recovery time: Snapshots can reduce the downtime and data loss caused by a security incident by allowing customers to quickly revert their VMs to a known good state. Snapshots can also help customers avoid the need to reinstall or reconfigure their VMs after an incident, saving time and resources.

Easier incident analysis: Snapshots can enable customers to perform online or offline analysis of their VMs after an incident, without affecting the production environment. Customers can use snapshots to examine the VM’s disk, memory, and logs for evidence of compromise, root cause analysis, or forensic investigation. Customers can also use snapshots to test and validate their incident response plans or remediation actions before applying them to the production VMs.

Enhanced security posture: Snapshots can improve the security posture of customers by enabling them to implement best practices such as backup and restore, disaster recovery, and business continuity. Snapshots can help customers protect their VMs from accidental or malicious deletion, corruption, or modification, as well as from environmental or technical disruptions. Snapshots can also help customers comply with regulatory or contractual requirements for data retention, availability, or integrity. References = What is Disaster Recovery as a Service? | CSA - Cloud Security Alliance, What Is Cloud Incident Response (IR)? CrowdStrike

= The contact list is the most important element of the escalation procedures for an incident response plan, as it ensures that the appropriate stakeholders are notified and involved in the incident management process. A contact list should include the names, roles, responsibilities, phone numbers, email addresses, and backup contacts of the key personnel involved in the incident response, such as the incident response team, senior management, legal counsel, public relations, law enforcement, and external service providers. The contact list should be regularly updated and tested to ensure its accuracy and availability123. References =

1: Information Security Incident Response Escalation Guideline2, page 4

2: A Practical Approach to Incident Management Escalation1, section “Step 2: Log the escalation and record the related incident problems that occurred”

3: Computer Security Incident Handling Guide4, page 18

 Key risk indicators (KRIs) are metrics that measure the level of risk exposure and the likelihood of occurrence of potential adverse events that can affect the organization’s objectives and performance. KRIs are used to monitor changes in the risk environment and to provide early warning signals for potential issues that may require management attention or intervention. KRIs are also used to communicate the risk status and trends to the relevant stakeholders and to support risk-based decision making12.

The primary reason to monitor KRIs related to information security is to alert on unacceptable risk. Unacceptable risk is the level of risk that exceeds the organization’s risk appetite, tolerance, or threshold, and that poses a significant threat to the organization’s assets, operations, reputation, or compliance. Unacceptable risk can result from internal or external factors, such as cyberattacks, data breaches, system failures, human errors, fraud, natural disasters, or regulatory changes. Unacceptable risk can have severe consequences for the organization, such as financial losses, legal liabilities, operational disruptions, customer dissatisfaction, or reputational damage12.

By monitoring KRIs related to information security, the organization can identify and assess the sources, causes, and impacts of unacceptable risk, and take timely and appropriate actions to mitigate, transfer, avoid, or accept the risk. Monitoring KRIs can also help the organization to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the existing information security controls, policies, and procedures, and to identify and implement any necessary improvements or enhancements. Monitoring KRIs can also help the organization to align its information security strategy and objectives with its business strategy and objectives, and to ensure compliance with the relevant laws, regulations, standards, and best practices12.

While monitoring KRIs related to information security can also serve other purposes, such as identifying residual risk, reassessing risk appetite, or benchmarking control performance, these are not the primary reason for monitoring KRIs. Residual risk is the level of risk that remains after applying the risk treatment options, and it should be within the organization’s risk appetite, tolerance, or threshold. Reassessing risk appetite is the process of reviewing and adjusting the amount and type of risk that the organization is willing to take in pursuit of its objectives, and it should be done periodically or when there are significant changes in the internal or external environment. Benchmarking control performance is the process of comparing the organization’s information security controls with those of other organizations or industry standards, and it should be done to identify and adopt the best practices or to demonstrate compliance12. References = Integrating KRIs and KPIs for Effective Technology Risk Management, The Power of KRIs in Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) - Metricstream, What Is a Key Risk Indicator? With Characteristics and Tips, KRI Framework for Operational Risk Management | Workiva, Key risk indicator - Wikipedia

 The best response for the organization to reduce risk from increasing cyberattacks is to revalidate and mitigate risks to an acceptable level. This means that the organization should review its current risk profile, identify any new or emerging threats, vulnerabilities, or impacts, and evaluate the effectiveness of its existing controls and countermeasures. Based on this analysis, the organization should implement appropriate risk treatment strategies, such as avoiding, transferring, accepting, or reducing the risks, to achieve its desired risk appetite and tolerance. The organization should also monitor and review the risk situation and the implemented controls on a regular basis, and update its risk management plan accordingly. This approach is consistent with the ISACA Risk IT Framework, which provides guidance on how to align IT risk management with business objectives and value12.

The other options are not the best responses because they are either too narrow or too reactive. Increasing budget and staffing levels for the incident response team may improve the organization’s ability to respond to and recover from cyberattacks, but it does not address the root causes or the prevention of the attacks. Implementing an intrusion detection system (IDS) may enhance the organization’s detection and analysis capabilities, but it does not guarantee the protection or mitigation of the attacks. Testing the business continuity plan (BCP) may verify the organization’s readiness and resilience to continue its critical operations in the event of a cyberattack, but it does not reduce the likelihood or the impact of the attack. References =

Risk IT Framework 1

CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition | Print | English 2, Chapter 3: Information Risk Management, pages 97-98, 103-104, 107-108, 111-112.

= To confirm that a third-party provider complies with an organization’s information security requirements, it is most important to ensure that the right to audit is included in the service level agreement (SLA), which is a contract that defines the scope, quality, and terms of the services that the third-party provider delivers to the organization. The right to audit is a clause that grants the organization the authority and opportunity to inspect and verify the third-party provider’s security policies, procedures, controls, and performance, either by itself or by an independent auditor, at any time during the contract period or after a security incident. The right to audit can help to ensure that the third-party provider adheres to the organization’s information security requirements, as well as to the legal and regulatory standards and obligations, and that the organization can monitor and measure the security risks and issues that arise from the outsourcing relationship. The right to audit can also help to identify and address any gaps, weaknesses, or errors that could compromise the security of the information assets and systems that are shared, stored, or processed by the third-party provider, and to provide feedback and recommendations for improvement and optimization of the security posture and performance.

Security metrics, contract clauses, and the information security policy of the third-party provider are all important elements of ensuring the compliance of the third-party provider with the organization’s information security requirements, but they are not the most important ones. Security metrics are quantitative and qualitative measures that indicate the effectiveness and efficiency of the security controls and processes that the third-party provider implements and reports to the organization, such as the number of security incidents, the time to resolve them, the level of customer satisfaction, or the compliance rate. Security metrics can help to evaluate and compare the security performance and outcomes of the third-party provider, as well as to identify and address any deviations or discrepancies from the expected or agreed levels. Contract clauses are legal and contractual terms and conditions that bind the third-party provider to the organization’s information security requirements, such as the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information assets and systems, the roles and responsibilities of the parties, the liabilities and penalties for breach or violation, or the dispute resolution mechanisms. Contract clauses can help to enforce and protect the organization’s information security interests and rights, as well as to prevent or resolve any conflicts or issues that arise from the outsourcing relationship. The information security policy of the third-party provider is a document that defines and communicates the third-party provider’s security vision, mission, objectives, and principles, as well as the security roles, responsibilities, and rules that apply to the third-party provider’s staff, customers, and partners. The information security policy of the third-party provider can help to ensure that the third-party provider has a clear and consistent security direction and guidance, as well as to align and integrate the third-party provider’s security practices and culture with the organization’s security expectations and requirements. References = CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, pages 57-581; CISM Practice Quiz, question 1662

 A capability maturity model (CMM) is a framework that helps organizations assess and improve their processes and capabilities in various domains, such as software development, project management, information security, and others1. A CMM defines a set of levels or stages that represent the degree of maturity or effectiveness of an organization’s processes and capabilities in a specific domain. Each level has a set of criteria or characteristics that an organization must meet to achieve that level of maturity. A CMM also provides guidance and best practices on how to progress from one level to another, and how to measure and monitor the performance and improvement of the processes and capabilities2.

A CMM is most helpful in determining an organization’s current capacity to mitigate risks, because it provides a systematic and objective way to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the organization’s processes and capabilities related to risk management. A CMM can help an organization identify the gaps and opportunities for improvement in its risk management practices, and prioritize the actions and resources needed to address them. A CMM can also help an organization benchmark its risk management maturity against industry standards or best practices, and demonstrate its compliance with regulatory or contractual requirements3.

The other options are not as helpful as a CMM in determining an organization’s current capacity to mitigate risks, because they are either more specific, limited, or dependent on a CMM. A vulnerability assessment is a process of identifying and analyzing the vulnerabilities in an organization’s systems, networks, or applications, and their potential impact on the organization’s assets, operations, or reputation. A vulnerability assessment can help an organization identify the sources and levels of risk, but it does not provide a comprehensive or holistic view of the organization’s risk management maturity or effectiveness4. IT security risk and exposure is a measure of the likelihood and impact of a security breach or incident on an organization’s IT assets, operations, or reputation. IT security risk and exposure can help an organization quantify and communicate the level of risk, but it does not provide a framework or guidance on how to improve the organization’s risk management processes or capabilities5. A business impact analysis (BIA) is a process of identifying and evaluating the potential effects of a disruption or disaster on an organization’s critical business functions, processes, or resources. A BIA can help an organization determine the priorities and requirements for business continuity and disaster recovery, but it does not provide a method or standard for assessing or enhancing the organization’s risk management maturity or effectiveness. References = 1: CMMI Institute - What is CMMI? - Capability Maturity Model Integration 2: Capability Maturity Model and Risk Register Integration: The Right … 3: Performing Risk Assessments of Emerging Technologies - ISACA 4: CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 4, Section 4.2 5: CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 4, Section 4.3 : CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 4, Section 4.4

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.

Data owners are responsible for determining the classification of data based on its sensitivity, value, and business impact. They understand the context in which the data is used and can best evaluate its importance and risk profile.

“Data owners are responsible for defining the classification and protection requirements of their data.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 2: Information Risk Management, Section: Data Classification Roles*

The ISO may assist in developing the classification scheme, but the final responsibility lies with the data owner.

 When a new information security manager is developing an information security strategy for a non-regulated organization, reviewing the management’s business goals and objectives would be the most helpful. This is because the information security strategy should be aligned with and support the organization’s vision, mission, values, and strategic direction. The information security strategy should also enable the organization to achieve its desired outcomes, such as increasing revenue, reducing costs, enhancing customer satisfaction, or improving operational efficiency. By reviewing the management’s business goals and objectives, the information security manager can understand the business context, needs, and expectations of the organization, and design the information security strategy accordingly. The information security manager can also communicate the value proposition and benefits of the information security strategy to the management and other stakeholders, and gain their support and commitment.

References = CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, Chapter 1: Information Security Governance, Section: Information Security Strategy, page 211; CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual, 10th Edition, Question 48, page 452.

 Wiping the device remotely is the best option to minimize the risk of data exposure from a stolen personal mobile device. This action will erase all the data stored on the device, including the sensitive corporate data, and prevent unauthorized access or misuse. Wiping the device remotely can be done using enterprise mobility management (EMM) or mobile device management (MDM) tools that allow administrators to remotely manage and secure mobile devices. Alternatively, some mobile devices have built-in features that allow users to wipe their own devices remotely using another device or a web portal.

Preventing the user from using personal mobile devices is not a feasible option, as it may affect the user’s productivity and convenience. Moreover, this option does not address the immediate risk of data exposure from the stolen device.

Reporting the incident to the police is a good practice, but it does not guarantee that the device will be recovered or that the data will be protected. The police may not have the resources or the authority to track down the device or access it.

Removing the user’s access to corporate data is a preventive measure that can limit the damage caused by a stolen device, but it does not eliminate the risk of data exposure from the data already stored on the device. The user may have cached or downloaded data that can still be accessed by an attacker even if the user’s access is revoked. References =

Guidelines for Managing the Security of Mobile Devices in the Enterprise NIST Special Publication, Section 3.1.11, page 3-8

CISM Review Manual, Chapter 3, page 121

Mobile device security - CISM Certification Domain 2: Information Risk Management Video Boot Camp 2019, Section 3.3, 00:03:10