CRISC Risk Response and Reporting Practice Question
An organization has a risk culture where employees are hesitant to report security incidents due to fear of blame. Which of the following initiatives would MOST effectively promote a risk-aware culture?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is choosing a control-based or punitive response (training, audits, discipline) when the scenario describes a cultural problem — CRISC tests whether candidates address root causes rather than symptoms.
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
✓
Establish a confidential incident reporting system with a no-blame policy
Establishing a confidential incident reporting system with a no-blame policy directly addresses the root cause — fear of blame — by removing the deterrent to reporting. This creates psychological safety, which is a prerequisite for a healthy risk-aware culture where employees surface issues early.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Increase the frequency of security awareness training
Why it's wrong here
Awareness training addresses knowledge gaps, not the fear of blame that suppresses reporting, so the cultural barrier remains. It is tempting because training is the usual lever for improving security behaviour, and it would be correct where staff simply lack the knowledge to recognise or report incidents.
- ✓
Establish a confidential incident reporting system with a no-blame policy
Why this is correct
A confidential reporting channel combined with a no-blame policy removes the fear of reprisal that suppresses incident reporting, directly addressing the cultural barrier described. Employees report near misses and incidents earlier, improving detection and organisational learning.
- ✗
Conduct more frequent audits to detect unreported incidents
Why it's wrong here
Audits detect unreported incidents after the fact and reinforce the punitive perception that drives under-reporting, worsening the culture. It is tempting because auditing is a standard assurance control, and it would be correct where the concern is verifying compliance rather than encouraging voluntary disclosure.
- ✗
Discipline employees who fail to report incidents
Why it's wrong here
Disciplining non-reporters directly strengthens the blame culture, increasing the fear that already stops employees reporting. It is tempting because sanctions appear to enforce accountability, and they would be correct where deliberate concealment, rather than fear, is the identified problem.
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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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