CRISC IT Risk Assessment Practice Question
A risk assessment reveals that the likelihood of a phishing attack is high, and the impact is moderate. The organization decides to implement security awareness training and email filtering. This is an example of which risk treatment?
⚠ Common exam trap
CRISC often tests the distinction between mitigation and transfer, luring candidates toward 'transfer' when insurance or outsourcing is mentioned, but here the controls are internal and directly reduce likelihood/impact, so mitigation is correct.
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
✓
Risk mitigation
Risk mitigation (also called risk reduction) involves taking actions to reduce the likelihood and/or impact of a risk. Implementing security awareness training reduces the likelihood of successful phishing, and email filtering reduces both likelihood and impact. This is the classic definition of mitigation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Risk acceptance
Why it's wrong here
Acceptance means no action is taken and the residual risk is retained; here the organisation actively deploys training and email filtering, which lowers likelihood. It is tempting when impact is moderate, but acceptance requires a documented decision to tolerate the risk without new controls.
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Risk avoidance
Why it's wrong here
Avoidance eliminates the activity or exposure generating the risk entirely, for example banning external email. Training and filtering retain the email channel while reducing likelihood, so the risk is mitigated rather than removed. Avoidance is tempting when impact is severe, not moderate.
- ✓
Risk mitigation
Why this is correct
Security awareness training and email filtering reduce the likelihood and impact of phishing, which is the defining characteristic of risk mitigation. Unlike risk avoidance, which eliminates the activity, or transference via insurance, mitigation lowers the existing risk exposure while the activity continues.
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Risk transfer
Why it's wrong here
Transfer shifts financial consequence to a third party, such as cyber insurance; training and filtering instead reduce the likelihood of a phishing attempt succeeding. It is tempting because insurance is common for phishing exposure, but no risk is being shared or paid for by another party here.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISACA exam blueprint
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