CISM Information Security Risk Management Practice Question
A hospital’s CISO is reviewing a critical clinical application that cannot be patched due to vendor certification constraints. The risk of exploitation is assessed as high. The hospital has implemented network segmentation and enhanced monitoring as compensating controls. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step to manage this risk?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that implementing compensating controls automatically makes the risk acceptable, skipping the required residual risk assessment.
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
✓
Perform a residual risk assessment to determine if the compensating controls reduce risk to an acceptable level.
When compensating controls are introduced, the risk profile changes and must be re-evaluated. A residual risk assessment determines whether segmentation and monitoring reduce the risk to a level the hospital can tolerate. Only after that assessment can leadership make an informed decision to accept, further mitigate or transfer the risk. Acting without this step risks either unnecessary disruption or unrecognized exposure.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Transfer the risk by purchasing cyber insurance that covers clinical system outages.
Why it's wrong here
Insurance can transfer some financial consequences, but it does not reduce the likelihood or operational impact of an exploited vulnerability in a clinical application. Risk transfer is a financial treatment, not a control. Before considering transfer, the hospital still needs to assess residual risk after existing compensating controls to determine whether additional treatment or acceptance is appropriate.
- ✗
Accept the risk and document it in the risk register with a review date.
Why it's wrong here
Accepting the risk may be premature because the compensating controls have not been formally evaluated for effectiveness. Risk acceptance should occur only after determining whether the residual risk falls within the organization’s risk tolerance. Simply documenting and accepting without that evaluation could leave the hospital exposed to a high-impact clinical system compromise that leadership might not have knowingly approved.
- ✓
Perform a residual risk assessment to determine if the compensating controls reduce risk to an acceptable level.
Why this is correct
Compensating controls change the risk picture, so the CISO must reassess residual risk. Network segmentation and enhanced monitoring may reduce likelihood or impact, but only a formal residual risk assessment can show whether the remaining risk is within tolerance. That assessment then informs whether to accept, further treat or escalate the risk, ensuring decisions are based on evidence rather than assumption.
- ✗
Immediately remove the application from the network until the vendor provides a patch.
Why it's wrong here
Removing a critical clinical application could disrupt patient care and is likely a disproportionate response before evaluating the effectiveness of the compensating controls. The organization should first understand residual risk. If that assessment shows the risk remains unacceptable, then more drastic measures might be justified, but taking the system offline immediately ignores clinical availability requirements and business impact.
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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 ISACA exam blueprint
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