CRISC Risk Response and Reporting Practice Question
A key control indicator (KCI) for a critical access control shows a deficiency rate of 12% for the quarter, exceeding the target of 5%. Which of the following should be the risk practitioner's PRIMARY action?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to choose 'implement compensating controls' or 'increase testing frequency' because they focus on immediate risk reduction, but the CRISC exam emphasizes that understanding the root cause is the foundational step before any remediation action.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Investigate root causes of the high deficiency rate
The primary action is to investigate root causes because a KCI deficiency rate of 12% against a 5% target indicates a systemic control failure. Without understanding why the access control is failing (e.g., misconfigured role-based access control (RBAC) rules, stale user entitlements, or bypassed multi-factor authentication), any subsequent remediation may be ineffective. Root cause analysis ensures the risk practitioner addresses the underlying issue rather than applying a superficial fix.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Investigate root causes of the high deficiency rate
Why this is correct
A KCI breach signals the control is failing, so the practitioner must first establish why the 12% deficiency rate exceeds the 5% target before selecting remediation. Root-cause investigation is the diagnostic step that determines whether the variance reflects a control design flaw, an execution gap or a measurement error.
- ✗
Escalate the deficiency to the board immediately
Why it's wrong here
Escalating to the board bypasses the risk register and management review layers, skipping assessment of the deficiency's cause and impact. It is tempting because a critical control is failing, but board escalation suits material, enterprise-level risk; a KCI breach is first handled through management remediation and reporting.
- ✗
Implement compensating controls to reduce risk
Why it's wrong here
Compensating controls add alternative safeguards while the failing access control remains unremediated, leaving the root cause unaddressed. It is tempting because they reduce exposure quickly, but they suit cases where the primary control cannot be fixed; here the practitioner should first remediate the deficient control itself.
- ✗
Increase the frequency of control testing
Why it's wrong here
Testing more frequently only measures the deficiency more often; it does not correct the access control causing the 12% rate. It is tempting because testing underpins assurance, but increased frequency suits validating a fix or monitoring a stable control, not the primary response to an existing breach.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.