PK0-005 Project Life Cycle Practice Question
Which of the following is a common response strategy for negative risks (threats) that involves reducing the probability or impact of the risk?
⚠ Common exam trap
PK0-005 often tests the distinction between risk response strategies, and candidates frequently confuse mitigation with avoidance or acceptance, especially when the question emphasizes reducing probability or impact rather than eliminating the risk entirely.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Mitigate
Mitigate is the correct answer because risk mitigation is the specific strategy that focuses on reducing either the probability of a threat occurring or the impact if it does occur. In project risk management (as defined in PMBOK), mitigation is a proactive approach that takes action before the risk event happens to lower its exposure. For example, implementing additional testing reduces the probability of defects, while adding redundancy reduces the impact of a failure.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Accept
Why it's wrong here
Acceptance acknowledges a threat and takes no action, leaving probability and impact unchanged; a contingency reserve may be set aside. It suits low-priority risks where the cost of responding outweighs the exposure, not the requirement to actively lower likelihood or impact.
- ✗
Transfer
Why it's wrong here
Transfer shifts a threat's financial impact to a third party, typically via insurance or outsourcing, and does nothing to lower the probability or impact itself. It would be correct when the organisation wants another party to bear the consequence, not when it intends to reduce likelihood or damage.
- ✓
Mitigate
Why this is correct
Mitigation reduces probability or impact.
- ✗
Avoid
Why it's wrong here
Avoidance eliminates the threat entirely by removing the activity or condition that creates it, so no residual probability or impact remains to reduce. It fits when the risk is unacceptable and the underlying cause can be dropped, not when the goal is to lessen likelihood or impact while continuing.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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