- A
The control testing frequency was increased.
Why wrong: Increased testing would not reduce risk level independently.
- B
The inherent risk has decreased due to external factors.
A decrease in inherent risk can lower overall risk even if control effectiveness drops.
- C
The risk assessment methodology was changed.
Why wrong: There is no evidence of methodology change.
- D
The control owner has implemented additional compensating controls.
Why wrong: If compensating controls were added, control effectiveness would likely increase.
Question 196 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.
An organization's risk committee reviews a risk heat map showing that a key IT risk has moved from the "high" to "medium" category. However, the associated control's effectiveness has decreased from 95% to 85%. What is the most likely explanation?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
✓
The inherent risk has decreased due to external factors.
The risk heat map shows a reduction in residual risk from high to medium, yet the control effectiveness dropped from 95% to 85%. This apparent contradiction is best explained by a decrease in inherent risk—the risk before controls are applied. If inherent risk falls (e.g., due to external factors like new regulations or reduced threat activity), the residual risk can decrease even if the control becomes less effective, because the starting risk level is lower.
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 control testing frequency was increased.
Why it's wrong here
Increased testing would not reduce risk level independently.
- ✓
The inherent risk has decreased due to external factors.
Why this is correct
A decrease in inherent risk can lower overall risk even if control effectiveness drops.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The risk assessment methodology was changed.
Why it's wrong here
There is no evidence of methodology change.
- ✗
The control owner has implemented additional compensating controls.
Why it's wrong here
If compensating controls were added, control effectiveness would likely increase.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume a decrease in control effectiveness must always increase residual risk, ignoring that a simultaneous decrease in inherent risk can more than compensate, leading to a net reduction in residual risk.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In risk management, residual risk is calculated as inherent risk minus the risk mitigated by controls. A drop in control effectiveness from 95% to 85% means the control now leaves 15% of the inherent risk unmitigated instead of 5%. For residual risk to still decrease, the inherent risk must have fallen by more than the increase in unmitigated exposure. For example, if inherent risk was 100 and control was 95% effective, residual risk was 5; if inherent risk drops to 50 and control is 85% effective, residual risk becomes 7.5, which is still lower than the original 5? Actually 7.5 > 5, so the math requires a larger inherent risk drop—e.g., inherent risk from 100 to 20, then residual risk from 5 to 3. This illustrates that external factors (e.g., new industry standards, reduced threat landscape) can significantly lower inherent risk, offsetting a control's reduced effectiveness.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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: The inherent risk has decreased due to external factors. — The risk heat map shows a reduction in residual risk from high to medium, yet the control effectiveness dropped from 95% to 85%. This apparent contradiction is best explained by a decrease in inherent risk—the risk before controls are applied. If inherent risk falls (e.g., due to external factors like new regulations or reduced threat activity), the residual risk can decrease even if the control becomes less effective, because the starting risk level is lower.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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