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 healthcare organization reveals a high likelihood of data breaches due to weak encryption on portable devices. The organization decides to deploy full-disk encryption and enforce multi-factor authentication. Which risk response strategy is being applied?
Transfer
Why wrong: Transfer would involve insurance or outsourcing.
Acceptance
Why wrong: Acceptance means no action taken.
Avoidance
Why wrong: Avoidance would eliminate the risk by not using devices.
Mitigation
Controls reduce risk.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Mitigation
Deploying full-disk encryption and multi-factor authentication directly reduces the likelihood and/or impact of data breaches from weak encryption on portable devices. This is the definition of risk mitigation — applying controls to lower risk to an acceptable level. The organization is actively reducing the vulnerability, not transferring, accepting, or avoiding the risk.
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.
Transfer
Why it's wrong here
Transfer would involve insurance or outsourcing.
Acceptance
Why it's wrong here
Acceptance means no action taken.
Avoidance
Why it's wrong here
Avoidance would eliminate the risk by not using devices.
Mitigation
Why this is correct
Controls reduce risk.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'avoidance' with 'mitigation' — avoidance eliminates the risk by discontinuing the activity (e.g., banning portable devices), while mitigation reduces the risk through controls like encryption and MFA.
Detailed technical explanation
Full-disk encryption (e.g., BitLocker using AES-256, FileVault, or LUKS) ensures that data at rest is unreadable without the decryption key, directly addressing the vulnerability of weak encryption. Multi-factor authentication (e.g., TOTP, smart card, or biometrics) adds a second layer of authentication, reducing the likelihood of unauthorized access even if a device is lost. Together, these controls reduce both the probability and impact of a data breach, which is the essence of risk mitigation in the CRISC framework.
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 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
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
500 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
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise CRISC questions linked to IT Risk Identification.
Practise CRISC questions linked to Risk Response and Mitigation.
Practise CRISC questions linked to Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting.
Practise CRISC questions linked to IT Risk Assessment.
Practise CRISC questions linked to CRISC fundamentals.
Practise CRISC questions linked to CRISC scenario.
Practise CRISC questions linked to CRISC troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
IT Risk Assessment — This question tests IT Risk Assessment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Mitigation — Deploying full-disk encryption and multi-factor authentication directly reduces the likelihood and/or impact of data breaches from weak encryption on portable devices. This is the definition of risk mitigation — applying controls to lower risk to an acceptable level. The organization is actively reducing the vulnerability, not transferring, accepting, or avoiding the risk.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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: Jun 11, 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.