Pass CISM Exam Guide

According to the NIST SP 800-61 Computer Security Incident Handling Guide, the type of confirmed incident is one of the most important criteria for choosing a containment strategy, as different types of incidents may require different levels of urgency, scope, and impact1. For example, a denial-of-service attack may require a different containment strategy than a ransomware attack or a data breach.

References = 1: NIST SP 800-61: 3.1. Choosing a Containment Strategy2

he greatest concern for an information security manager of a large multinational organization when outsourcing data processing to a cloud service provider is the local laws and regulations that may apply to the data and the cloud service provider. Local laws and regulations may vary significantly across different jurisdictions and may impose different requirements or restrictions on the data protection, privacy, security, sovereignty, retention, disclosure, transfer, or access. These laws and regulations may also create potential conflicts or inconsistencies with the organization’s own policies, standards, or contractual obligations. Therefore, an information security manager should conduct a thorough legal and regulatory analysis before outsourcing data processing to a cloud service provider and ensure that the cloud service provider complies with all the applicable laws and regulations in the relevant jurisdictions.

References = CISM Manual1, Chapter 3: Information Security Program Development (ISPD), Section 3.1: Outsourcing2

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Outsourcing data processing to a cloud service provider may expose the organization to different legal and regulatory requirements depending on the location of the data and the vendor. This could affect the organization’s compliance and liability in case of a breach or dispute. Therefore, the information security manager should be most concerned about the local laws and regulations that apply to the outsourcing arrangement.

After an intrusion has been detected and contained, the system should be recovered to a known and trusted state. The best practice for ensuring the integrity of the recovered system is to install the OS, patches, and application from the original source, such as the vendor’s website or media. This way, any malicious code or backdoors that may have been inserted by the intruder can be eliminated. Restoring the OS, patches, and application from a backup may not guarantee the integrity of the system, as the backup may have been compromised or outdated. Restoring the application and data from a forensic copy may preserve the evidence of the intrusion, but it may also reintroduce the vulnerability or malware that allowed the intrusion in the first place. Removing all signs of the intrusion from the OS and application may not be sufficient or feasible, as the intruder may have made subtle or hidden changes that are difficult to detect or undo.

References =

ISACA, CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, 2020, page 2401

ISACA, CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Database - 12 Month Subscription, 2020, question ID 2132

The BEST practice for ensuring the integrity of the recovered system after an intrusion is to restore the OS, patches, and application from a backup. This will ensure that the system is in a known good state, without any potential residual malicious code or changes from the intrusion. Restoring from a backup also enables the organization to revert to a previous configuration that has been tested and known to be secure. This step should be taken prior to conducting a thorough investigation and forensic analysis to determine the cause and extent of the intrusion.