- A
Configuring access controls
Access controls prevent unauthorized access.
- B
Deploying an intrusion detection system
Why wrong: IDS is a detective control.
- C
Implementing a patch management process
Patching prevents exploitation of vulnerabilities.
- D
Establishing a backup and recovery plan
Why wrong: Backup and recovery is a corrective control.
- E
Conducting regular security audits
Why wrong: Audits are detective controls.
Question 111 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A risk assessment of a critical financial application identifies a high inherent risk due to outdated software. The risk manager is considering mitigation options. Which TWO of the following would be considered preventive controls?
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
✓
Configuring access controls
Configuring access controls is a preventive control because it proactively restricts unauthorized users from accessing the financial application, reducing the likelihood of a security incident. By enforcing least privilege and authentication mechanisms, it directly mitigates the risk of exploitation of the outdated software by limiting who can interact with it.
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.
- ✓
Configuring access controls
Why this is correct
Access controls prevent unauthorized access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Deploying an intrusion detection system
Why it's wrong here
IDS is a detective control.
- ✓
Implementing a patch management process
Why this is correct
Patching prevents exploitation of vulnerabilities.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Establishing a backup and recovery plan
Why it's wrong here
Backup and recovery is a corrective control.
- ✗
Conducting regular security audits
Why it's wrong here
Audits are detective controls.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing detective controls (like IDS or audits) or recovery controls (like backups) with preventive controls, especially when the question emphasizes 'mitigation options' for outdated software—candidates often overlook that patching is a direct preventive measure against known vulnerabilities.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Preventive controls operate at the system boundary or within the application to enforce security policies before any action is taken. For example, access controls can be implemented via Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with mandatory access control lists (ACLs) at the database or OS level, while patch management ensures that known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) in the outdated software are remediated through version updates or hotfixes. In a real-world scenario, failing to patch a critical buffer overflow vulnerability (e.g., CVE-2021-44228 in Log4j) while relying only on IDS would leave the application exposed to remote code execution.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Configuring access controls — Configuring access controls is a preventive control because it proactively restricts unauthorized users from accessing the financial application, reducing the likelihood of a security incident. By enforcing least privilege and authentication mechanisms, it directly mitigates the risk of exploitation of the outdated software by limiting who can interact with it.
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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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.
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