CRISC Risk Response and Reporting Practice Question
An organization has implemented a new firewall rule to block malicious IP addresses. This is an example of which type of control?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse preventive controls with detective controls, as candidates often think of firewalls as 'detecting' threats, but the key distinction is that a firewall rule actively blocks (prevents) traffic, not merely logs or alerts on it.
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
✓
Preventive control
A firewall rule that blocks malicious IP addresses is a preventive control because it proactively stops unauthorized traffic before it can reach the internal network. By filtering packets based on source IP addresses, the firewall enforces access control policies at the network layer, preventing potential attacks from ever being initiated. This aligns with the CRISC definition of preventive controls, which are designed to avoid or deter undesirable events.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Directive control
Why it's wrong here
Directive controls guide behavior, such as policies, but do not block actions technically.
- ✓
Preventive control
Why this is correct
Preventive controls aim to stop undesirable events from occurring.
- ✗
Corrective control
Why it's wrong here
Corrective controls remediate issues after detection.
- ✗
Detective control
Why it's wrong here
Detective controls identify incidents after they occur, not block them.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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