CISM Information Security Risk Management Practice Question
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.
During a risk assessment, an organization identifies that its legacy payment system has a high likelihood of exploitation due to unpatched vulnerabilities. The system is critical for daily operations. Which risk treatment option should the organization PRIMARILY consider?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Implement compensating controls to reduce the risk
Option B is correct because mitigation through compensating controls reduces risk while maintaining operations. Option A is wrong because avoidance would mean discontinuing the system, which is not feasible. Option C is wrong because transfer shifts financial risk but not operational risk. Option D is wrong because acceptance without action is inappropriate for high risk.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Implement compensating controls to reduce the risk
Why this is correct
Compensating controls like network segmentation and enhanced monitoring can reduce risk while keeping the system operational.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Accept the risk as a cost of doing business
Why it's wrong here
Accepting a high risk without mitigation is not prudent; residual risk should be within tolerance.
✗
Avoid the risk by decommissioning the system
Why it's wrong here
Decommissioning may not be possible due to operational dependency.
✗
Purchase cyber insurance to transfer the risk
Why it's wrong here
Insurance transfers financial impact but does not reduce the likelihood of a breach.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related CISM NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Information Security Risk Management — This question tests Information Security Risk Management — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implement compensating controls to reduce the risk — Option B is correct because mitigation through compensating controls reduces risk while maintaining operations. Option A is wrong because avoidance would mean discontinuing the system, which is not feasible. Option C is wrong because transfer shifts financial risk but not operational risk. Option D is wrong because acceptance without action is inappropriate for high risk.
What should I do if I get this CISM question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related CISM NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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