The correct answer is to implement a temporary compensating control, such as logging and monitoring all accesses to patient records, and proceed with go-live while RBAC is developed. This choice is correct because it directly addresses the access control deficiency by introducing a detective control that provides visibility into unauthorized PHI disclosures, thereby reducing risk to an acceptable level without delaying the project. On the CRISC exam, this scenario tests your ability to prioritize risk response options—specifically, when to recommend compensating controls over accepting, avoiding, or transferring risk, especially under regulatory pressure like HIPAA. A common trap is choosing to delay the project for a perfect preventive control, but the exam emphasizes that compensating controls are a valid, risk-based bridge when a permanent fix is in development. Remember the memory tip: “Detective buys time for Preventive”—logging and monitoring is the detective control that buys the organization time to build RBAC, keeping compliance intact while the system goes live.
CRISC IT Risk Assessment Practice Question
This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk assessment. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 healthcare organization is implementing a new electronic health records (EHR) system. During the risk assessment, the risk practitioner discovers that the system's access control mechanism allows any authenticated user to view patient records without additional authorization checks. This violates the principle of least privilege and could lead to unauthorized disclosure of protected health information (PHI). The IT team proposes implementing role-based access control (RBAC), but it will require significant changes to the system configuration and user training. The project manager is concerned about delays to the go-live date. The organization has a moderate risk appetite but must comply with HIPAA regulations. Which of the following actions should the risk practitioner recommend 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.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Accept the risk because the likelihood of unauthorized access is low.
Why wrong: Likelihood is not low; vulnerability is significant.
B
Implement a temporary compensating control, such as logging and monitoring all accesses to patient records, and proceed with go-live while RBAC is developed.
Compensating controls reduce risk while avoiding delays.
C
Proceed with the go-live as scheduled and plan to implement RBAC in a future upgrade.
Why wrong: No compensating control leaves PHI exposed.
D
Delay the go-live until RBAC is fully implemented to ensure compliance.
Why wrong: Unnecessary delay when compensating controls are available.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Implement a temporary compensating control, such as logging and monitoring all accesses to patient records, and proceed with go-live while RBAC is developed.
Option B is correct because it balances the immediate need to go live with the critical requirement to protect PHI. Logging and monitoring all accesses acts as a detective compensating control, providing visibility into unauthorized disclosures while the more robust RBAC preventive control is developed. This approach aligns with the organization's moderate risk appetite and HIPAA compliance obligations by not accepting the risk outright, but also not delaying the project unnecessarily.
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.
✗
Accept the risk because the likelihood of unauthorized access is low.
Why it's wrong here
Likelihood is not low; vulnerability is significant.
✓
Implement a temporary compensating control, such as logging and monitoring all accesses to patient records, and proceed with go-live while RBAC is developed.
Why this is correct
Compensating controls reduce risk while avoiding delays.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "first", "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Proceed with the go-live as scheduled and plan to implement RBAC in a future upgrade.
Why it's wrong here
No compensating control leaves PHI exposed.
✗
Delay the go-live until RBAC is fully implemented to ensure compliance.
Why it's wrong here
Unnecessary delay when compensating controls are available.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose 'accept the risk' (A) or 'delay go-live' (D) because they focus on either risk appetite or compliance in isolation, failing to recognize that compensating controls can bridge the gap between operational urgency and regulatory requirements.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, RBAC enforces access decisions based on a user's role and a predefined permission matrix, typically implemented via Access Control Lists (ACLs) or attribute-based policies. In contrast, logging and monitoring (e.g., using syslog or a SIEM) captures every access event with user ID, timestamp, and record ID, enabling forensic analysis and audit trails. A real-world scenario is a hospital that deploys a 'break-glass' monitoring system for emergency access, which logs all accesses and triggers alerts for anomalous patterns, thereby satisfying HIPAA's audit control standard (45 CFR § 164.312(b)).
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 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.
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 a temporary compensating control, such as logging and monitoring all accesses to patient records, and proceed with go-live while RBAC is developed. — Option B is correct because it balances the immediate need to go live with the critical requirement to protect PHI. Logging and monitoring all accesses acts as a detective compensating control, providing visibility into unauthorized disclosures while the more robust RBAC preventive control is developed. This approach aligns with the organization's moderate risk appetite and HIPAA compliance obligations by not accepting the risk outright, but also not delaying the project unnecessarily.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first", "least". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
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 →
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.
This CRISC 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 CRISC 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.