Quick Answer
The correct first step is to reassess the risk and control effectiveness. This is because when a control is implemented but the risk level remains unchanged, the risk manager must immediately investigate why the control failed to produce the expected residual risk reduction. The core technical concept here is that risk assessment is a continuous, iterative process; you cannot decide on a next action—such as adding more controls, accepting the risk, or escalating it—without first understanding the gap between the control’s intended effect and its actual performance. On the CISM exam, this scenario tests your grasp of the risk management lifecycle and the principle that evaluation always precedes action. A common trap is jumping to “increase controls” or “report to management,” but the correct sequence demands a diagnostic reassessment first. Memory tip: think “Diagnose before you prescribe”—you cannot fix what you have not yet measured.
This CISM practice question tests your understanding of information security risk management. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An organization selects a control to mitigate a risk, but after implementation, the risk level remains unchanged. What should the risk manager do first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Increase the control strength
Why wrong: Without understanding why the control failed, increasing strength may be ineffective.
Re-assess the risk and control effectiveness
Reassessment is necessary to understand the gap.
Report to senior management
Why wrong: Reporting should come after assessment.
Accept the risk as residual
Why wrong: Acceptance should come after analysis, not as a first step.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Re-assess the risk and control effectiveness
The first step is to reassess the risk and control effectiveness to determine why the control did not reduce risk. Only then can decisions be made about increasing controls, accepting, or reporting.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Increase the control strength
Why it's wrong here
Without understanding why the control failed, increasing strength may be ineffective.
Re-assess the risk and control effectiveness
Why this is correct
Reassessment is necessary to understand the gap.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Report to senior management
Why it's wrong here
Reporting should come after assessment.
Accept the risk as residual
Why it's wrong here
Acceptance should come after analysis, not as a first step.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the CISM exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which CISM exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Information Security Risk Management — This question tests Information Security Risk Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Re-assess the risk and control effectiveness — The first step is to reassess the risk and control effectiveness to determine why the control did not reduce risk. Only then can decisions be made about increasing controls, accepting, or reporting.
Identify which CISM exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This CISM practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CISM exam.
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