Refer to the information below to answer the question.
An organization has hired an information security officer to lead their security department. The officer has adequate people resources but is lacking the other necessary components to have an effective security program. There are numerous initiatives requiring security involvement.
Given the number of priorities, which of the following will MOST likely influence the selection of top initiatives?
Correct Answer: A
The most likely factor that will influence the selection of top initiatives is the severity of risk. The severity of risk is a measure of the impact or the consequence of a threat exploiting a vulnerability, and the likelihood or the probability of that occurrence. The severity of risk can help to prioritize the security initiatives, as it can indicate the level of urgency or importance of addressing or mitigating the risk, and the potential benefit or value of implementing the initiative. The security initiatives that have the highest severity of risk should be selected as the top initiatives, as they can provide the most protection or improvement for the security program. Complexity of strategy, frequency of incidents, and ongoing awareness are not the most likely factors that will influence the selection of top initiatives, as they are related to the difficulty, the occurrence, or the education of the security program, not the prioritization or the justification of the security initiatives. References: CISSP All-in-One Exam Guide, Eighth Edition, Chapter 1, Security and Risk Management, page 25. Official (ISC)2 CISSP CBK Reference, Fifth Edition, Chapter 1, Security and Risk Management, page 40.