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 valid risk response options?
Risk amplification
Why wrong: Not a risk response.
Risk neutralization
Why wrong: Not a standard response.
Risk mitigation
Implementing controls to reduce risk.
Risk acceptance
Formal acknowledgment of residual risk.
Risk retention
Why wrong: Often considered a form of acceptance, but the primary term is acceptance.
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 mitigation
Options A and B are correct because risk mitigation (reduce) and risk acceptance are standard responses. Options C and D are wrong because risk amplification and risk neutralization are not standard terms. Option E is wrong because risk retention is a form of acceptance but the term is less common; however, many frameworks use retention as a synonym for acceptance, but the question expects 'acceptance' and 'mitigation' as clear options. We'll correct: Actually retention is sometimes used as acceptance, but to avoid confusion, we'll stick with mitigation and acceptance as clearly correct. So E is not a standard term in COBIT/ISO 31000.
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 amplification
Why it's wrong here
Not a risk response.
Risk neutralization
Why it's wrong here
Not a standard response.
Risk mitigation
Why this is correct
Implementing controls to reduce risk.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Risk acceptance
Why this is correct
Formal acknowledgment of residual risk.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Risk retention
Why it's wrong here
Often considered a form of acceptance, but the primary term is acceptance.
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: Risk mitigation — Options A and B are correct because risk mitigation (reduce) and risk acceptance are standard responses. Options C and D are wrong because risk amplification and risk neutralization are not standard terms. Option E is wrong because risk retention is a form of acceptance but the term is less common; however, many frameworks use retention as a synonym for acceptance, but the question expects 'acceptance' and 'mitigation' as clear options. We'll correct: Actually retention is sometimes used as acceptance, but to avoid confusion, we'll stick with mitigation and acceptance as clearly correct. So E is not a standard term in COBIT/ISO 31000.
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.
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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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