Information Security Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

Correct Answer: To establish guidelines for protecting organizational information assets

The primary purpose of information security policies is to establish guidelines for protecting organizational information assets. This is the most comprehensive and accurate description among the given options. Information security policies serve as a foundational document that outlines the organization's approach to safeguarding its information assets. These policies provide high-level guidance on how the organization should handle, protect, and manage its sensitive data and systems. The other options, while related to information security, do not accurately describe the primary purpose of information security policies: 1. Providing detailed technical specifications for security controls is typically part of security standards or procedures, not high-level policies. 2. Outlining step-by-step procedures for incident response is usually covered in incident response plans, which are separate from general information security policies. 3. Defining roles and responsibilities of IT support staff is more related to job descriptions or operational procedures, not the primary focus of information security policies. Information security policies are essential for setting the overall direction and expectations for an organization's security posture, ensuring compliance with regulations, and providing a framework for implementing security controls and practices.

Correct Answer: To provide a structured approach for managing and mitigating security incidents

The primary purpose of an information security incident response plan is to provide a structured approach for managing and mitigating security incidents. This is the most accurate description because:

1. It emphasizes the structured nature of the plan, which is crucial for effective incident response.
2. It focuses on both management and mitigation, covering the key aspects of handling security incidents.
3. It aligns with the CISM's role in overseeing and coordinating incident response efforts.

The other options are incorrect or less comprehensive:

Eliminating all potential security risks and vulnerabilities is an unrealistic goal. While risk reduction is important, it's not the primary purpose of an incident response plan.

Establishing a comprehensive set of security controls and safeguards is more related to overall security management, not specifically to incident response.

Defining roles and responsibilities for all employees in maintaining security is important but too broad for an incident response plan, which typically focuses on specific team members and their roles during an incident.

Correct Answer: To reduce the risk of fraud and errors

The primary purpose of implementing separation of duties in information security policies is to reduce the risk of fraud and errors. This is the correct answer because:

1. It prevents a single individual from having complete control over critical processes or systems.
2. It ensures that multiple people are involved in sensitive operations, making it harder for malicious activities to go undetected.
3. It helps in detecting and preventing both intentional and unintentional errors by introducing checks and balances.

The other options are incorrect for the following reasons:

Enhancing system performance and efficiency is not the main goal of separation of duties. While it may indirectly improve some processes, its primary focus is on security and risk reduction.

Simplifying the process of policy implementation is not accurate. In fact, separation of duties often makes processes more complex by involving multiple parties, but this complexity is necessary for improved security.

Increasing collaboration among different departments might be a side effect of separation of duties, but it is not the primary purpose. The focus is on security and risk mitigation rather than collaboration.