Quick Answer
The answer is risk avoidance and risk transfer. ISO 27005 defines these as formal risk treatment strategies, along with risk modification and risk retention, which are used to address identified information security risks. Risk avoidance involves deciding not to engage in the activity that creates the risk, while risk transfer shifts the financial burden to a third party, such as through insurance. On the Certified Information Security Manager CISM exam, this distinction tests your ability to separate core treatment actions from broader risk management processes like risk analysis or risk communication, which are not treatment strategies themselves. A common trap is confusing risk monitoring or risk communication with treatment, but remember that treatment is about what you *do* to the risk, not how you track or discuss it. A useful memory tip is the acronym ARRT: Avoid, Reduce, Retain, Transfer—these are the four ISO 27005 treatment strategies, and only two of them appear in the correct answer.
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.
Which TWO of the following are risk treatment strategies as defined in ISO 27005?
Risk analysis
Why wrong: Risk analysis is a step in risk assessment, not treatment.
Risk monitoring
Why wrong: Risk monitoring is part of the risk management process, not a treatment strategy.
Risk avoidance
Avoidance is a risk treatment strategy.
Risk transfer
Transfer is a risk treatment strategy.
Risk communication
Why wrong: Risk communication is an ongoing process, not a treatment.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Risk avoidance
Risk avoidance and risk transfer are standard treatment strategies. Risk analysis, risk communication, and risk monitoring are not treatment strategies but are part of the risk management process.
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.
Risk analysis
Why it's wrong here
Risk analysis is a step in risk assessment, not treatment.
Risk monitoring
Why it's wrong here
Risk monitoring is part of the risk management process, not a treatment strategy.
Risk avoidance
Why this is correct
Avoidance is a risk treatment strategy.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Risk transfer
Why this is correct
Transfer is a risk treatment strategy.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Risk communication
Why it's wrong here
Risk communication is an ongoing process, not a treatment.
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.
Information Security Risk Management — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Information Security Risk Management practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All CISM questions
500 questions across all exam domains
Certified Information Security Manager CISM study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
CISM practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise CISM questions linked to Information Security Program.
Practise CISM questions linked to Information Security Risk Management.
Practise CISM questions linked to Information Security Governance.
Practise CISM questions linked to Incident Management.
Practise CISM questions linked to CISM fundamentals.
Practise CISM questions linked to CISM scenario.
Practise CISM questions linked to CISM troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Risk avoidance — Risk avoidance and risk transfer are standard treatment strategies. Risk analysis, risk communication, and risk monitoring are not treatment strategies but are part of the risk management process.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.