- A
The vendor's reputation for providing reliable security solutions
Why wrong: Vendor reputation is not a measure of control effectiveness.
- B
Key control indicators (KCIs) such as control deficiency rate and test results
KCIs measure actual control performance and are the most direct indicators of effectiveness.
- C
The cost of the control relative to the asset value
Why wrong: Cost is a factor in cost-benefit analysis but not the primary measure of effectiveness.
- D
The control's alignment with industry best practices
Why wrong: Best practices are a benchmark but do not guarantee effectiveness in a specific environment.
Question 953 of 1,000
CRISC Risk Response and Reporting Practice Question
This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of risk response and reporting. 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 manager is evaluating a control that addresses a high-risk finding from an internal audit. Which of the following is the MOST important factor in determining whether the control is effective?
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
✓
Key control indicators (KCIs) such as control deficiency rate and test results
B is correct because the effectiveness of a control is determined by its ability to reduce risk to an acceptable level, which is directly measured by key control indicators (KCIs) such as the control deficiency rate and test results. These metrics provide empirical evidence of whether the control is operating as intended and mitigating the identified high-risk finding. Without such performance data, any assessment of effectiveness is speculative.
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.
- ✗
The vendor's reputation for providing reliable security solutions
Why it's wrong here
Vendor reputation is not a measure of control effectiveness.
- ✓
Key control indicators (KCIs) such as control deficiency rate and test results
Why this is correct
KCIs measure actual control performance and are the most direct indicators of effectiveness.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The cost of the control relative to the asset value
Why it's wrong here
Cost is a factor in cost-benefit analysis but not the primary measure of effectiveness.
- ✗
The control's alignment with industry best practices
Why it's wrong here
Best practices are a benchmark but do not guarantee effectiveness in a specific environment.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'alignment with best practices' (Option D) with proof of effectiveness, but CRISC requires evidence of actual control performance, not just theoretical compliance.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Key control indicators (KCIs) are metrics that track the performance of controls over time, such as the percentage of failed access attempts blocked by a firewall or the number of unpatched vulnerabilities after a patch cycle. For a high-risk finding from an internal audit, the risk manager should analyze KCIs like control deficiency rate (e.g., 5% failure rate in user authentication logs) and test results (e.g., penetration test outcomes showing no exploitable weaknesses). This data-driven approach aligns with the ISACA Risk IT framework, which emphasizes continuous monitoring and evidence-based validation over subjective assessments.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CRISC question test?
Risk Response and Reporting — This question tests Risk Response and Reporting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Key control indicators (KCIs) such as control deficiency rate and test results — B is correct because the effectiveness of a control is determined by its ability to reduce risk to an acceptable level, which is directly measured by key control indicators (KCIs) such as the control deficiency rate and test results. These metrics provide empirical evidence of whether the control is operating as intended and mitigating the identified high-risk finding. Without such performance data, any assessment of effectiveness is speculative.
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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