This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk assessment. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
A financial services company uses a legacy mainframe system for core banking transactions. The risk assessment identifies that the system does not support modern encryption standards, and data is transmitted in clear text over internal networks. The IT department has proposed implementing network segmentation and encryption at the application layer using a middleware solution. However, the cost is high and the project would take 18 months. Meanwhile, the company is planning to migrate to a new core system in two years. The risk appetite for data confidentiality is low. As the risk practitioner, what is the MOST appropriate risk response?
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 such as strict network access controls and monitoring.
The correct response is to implement compensating controls such as strict network access controls and monitoring. Given the low risk appetite for data confidentiality, the 18-month delay for the middleware solution is unacceptable, and the two-year migration timeline leaves a significant exposure window. Compensating controls like VLAN segmentation, ACLs, and continuous traffic monitoring can reduce the likelihood of exploitation of the clear-text transmission without requiring changes to the legacy mainframe itself.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 such as strict network access controls and monitoring.
Why this is correct
Compensating controls reduce risk immediately.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Transfer the risk by purchasing cyber insurance covering data breach incidents.
Why it's wrong here
Insurance does not prevent data exposure.
✗
Accept the risk because the system will be replaced in two years.
Why it's wrong here
Acceptance conflicts with low risk appetite.
✗
Avoid the risk by accelerating the migration to the new system within 18 months.
Why it's wrong here
Acceleration may not be feasible.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse 'accepting the risk' with a valid response when a migration is planned, but the low risk appetite for data confidentiality makes acceptance inappropriate, and they may overlook that compensating controls can be implemented quickly and cost-effectively to reduce exposure.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Network segmentation using VLANs and private VLANs (PVLANs) can isolate legacy mainframe traffic from other network segments, while strict ACLs on Layer 3 switches and firewalls can restrict source/destination IPs and ports to only authorized systems. Monitoring via NetFlow or a SIEM can detect anomalous traffic patterns, such as unexpected connections to the mainframe on ports like 23 (Telnet) or 445 (SMB), which are common for clear-text legacy protocols. This layered defense-in-depth approach compensates for the lack of encryption without requiring changes to the mainframe's application stack.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
IT Risk Assessment — This question tests IT Risk Assessment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implement compensating controls such as strict network access controls and monitoring. — The correct response is to implement compensating controls such as strict network access controls and monitoring. Given the low risk appetite for data confidentiality, the 18-month delay for the middleware solution is unacceptable, and the two-year migration timeline leaves a significant exposure window. Compensating controls like VLAN segmentation, ACLs, and continuous traffic monitoring can reduce the likelihood of exploitation of the clear-text transmission without requiring changes to the legacy mainframe itself.
What should I do if I get this CRISC question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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