- A
Control operating effectiveness
Operating effectiveness is also part of control effectiveness.
- B
Likelihood of threat events
Why wrong: Likelihood is part of inherent risk assessment.
- C
Control design adequacy
Design adequacy is part of control effectiveness assessment.
- D
Financial impact of the risk
Why wrong: Financial impact is already factored into inherent risk.
- E
Inherent risk level
Residual risk is derived from inherent risk.
Question 466 of 1,000
CRISC IT Risk Assessment Practice Question
This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk assessment. 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.
A risk assessment for a cloud migration identifies high inherent risk. The risk practitioner evaluates controls. Which TWO components are necessary to calculate residual risk?
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
✓
Control operating effectiveness
Control operating effectiveness is necessary to calculate residual risk because it measures how well a control actually reduces risk in practice. Even if a control is well-designed, poor implementation or maintenance can leave residual risk higher than expected. This aligns with the CRISC formula: Residual Risk = Inherent Risk × (1 - Control Effectiveness).
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.
- ✓
Control operating effectiveness
Why this is correct
Operating effectiveness is also part of control effectiveness.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Likelihood of threat events
Why it's wrong here
Likelihood is part of inherent risk assessment.
- ✓
Control design adequacy
Why this is correct
Design adequacy is part of control effectiveness assessment.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Financial impact of the risk
Why it's wrong here
Financial impact is already factored into inherent risk.
- ✓
Inherent risk level
Why this is correct
Residual risk is derived from inherent risk.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between inherent risk components (likelihood, impact) and residual risk components (control design adequacy, operating effectiveness), trapping candidates who confuse inputs for inherent risk with those needed for residual risk calculation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Residual risk calculation in CRISC follows the formula: Residual Risk = Inherent Risk × (1 - Control Effectiveness), where Control Effectiveness is a product of design adequacy and operating effectiveness. For cloud migration, controls like encryption at rest (AES-256) and IAM policies must be both properly designed (e.g., least privilege) and operating effectively (e.g., no misconfigurations) to reduce residual risk. A real-world scenario: a cloud misconfiguration (e.g., open S3 bucket) with a well-designed access control policy still results in high residual risk if the control is not operating effectively.
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 practitioner preparing for the CRISC 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
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 — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
IT Risk Assessment practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All CRISC questions
1,000 questions across all exam domains
- →
Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control CRISC study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
CRISC practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related CRISC practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
IT Risk Identification practice questions
Practise CRISC questions linked to IT Risk Identification.
IT Risk Assessment practice questions
Practise CRISC questions linked to IT Risk Assessment.
Risk Response and Reporting practice questions
Practise CRISC questions linked to Risk Response and Reporting.
Information Technology and Security practice questions
Practise CRISC questions linked to Information Technology and Security.
Risk Response and Mitigation practice questions
Practise CRISC questions linked to Risk Response and Mitigation.
Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting practice questions
Practise CRISC questions linked to Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting.
CRISC fundamentals practice questions
Practise CRISC questions linked to CRISC fundamentals.
CRISC scenario practice questions
Practise CRISC questions linked to CRISC scenario.
CRISC troubleshooting practice questions
Practise CRISC questions linked to CRISC troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free CRISC practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CRISC question test?
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: Control operating effectiveness — Control operating effectiveness is necessary to calculate residual risk because it measures how well a control actually reduces risk in practice. Even if a control is well-designed, poor implementation or maintenance can leave residual risk higher than expected. This aligns with the CRISC formula: Residual Risk = Inherent Risk × (1 - Control Effectiveness).
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.
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: Jul 4, 2026
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.