CRISC Risk Response and Mitigation Practice Question
An organization's security team recommends implementing a web application firewall (WAF) to protect against SQL injection attacks. The risk manager evaluates the cost of the WAF and the likelihood of a successful attack. This evaluation is BEST described as:
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse the evaluation of a control's cost against risk reduction with inherent risk assessment, but inherent risk is calculated without any controls in place, whereas this scenario explicitly involves weighing the cost of a specific control against the risk it mitigates.
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
✓
Cost-benefit analysis
The risk manager is comparing the cost of implementing the WAF against the likelihood and potential impact of a SQL injection attack. This direct comparison of mitigation cost to risk reduction benefit is the essence of a cost-benefit analysis, which determines whether the control is economically justified. It is not a calculation of residual or inherent risk, nor is it an acceptance decision.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Residual risk calculation
Why it's wrong here
Residual risk is after controls implemented.
- ✗
Inherent risk assessment
Why it's wrong here
Inherent risk is before controls.
- ✓
Cost-benefit analysis
Why this is correct
Comparing cost of control to expected loss is cost-benefit analysis.
- ✗
Risk acceptance
Why it's wrong here
Risk acceptance is a decision not an evaluation.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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