CRISC Risk Response and Reporting Practice Question
An organization is implementing a new access control system to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. Which type of control is being implemented?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse preventive controls with detective controls because both involve monitoring, but preventive controls actively block access (e.g., firewall deny rules) while detective controls only log or alert after the fact.
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
An access control system that prevents unauthorized access to sensitive data is a preventive control because it enforces security policies before access is granted. Technologies like mandatory access control (MAC) or role-based access control (RBAC) with Access Control Lists (ACLs) block unauthorized users at the point of entry, reducing the risk of data exposure.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Detective control
Why it's wrong here
Detective controls identify and log events after they occur, so they cannot prevent unauthorised access; they only reveal it retrospectively. The stem specifies prevention. Detection is tempting because monitoring access to sensitive data is a genuine detective activity, and it would be the right answer if the question asked how to discover breaches already underway.
- ✗
Compensating control
Why it's wrong here
A compensating control substitutes for a primary control that cannot be implemented, so it is not the access control itself. It tempts because access systems often supplement weak controls, but a preventive access control is the primary control being implemented.
- ✓
Preventive control
Why this is correct
A preventive control stops unauthorised access attempts before they succeed, which matches the stated objective of preventing access to sensitive data. Unlike detective or corrective controls, it acts on the cause at the point of entry rather than identifying or remediating after the event.
- ✗
Corrective control
Why it's wrong here
Corrective controls restore systems or data after an incident, such as backups or patching, so they act after unauthorised access has already happened rather than preventing it. They are tempting because remediation is essential to access control programmes, and would be correct if the stem asked how to recover from a breach.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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