The answer is that an unenforced account lockout policy is the most likely control failure. This is because repeated login failures followed by a successful authentication are the classic signature of a brute force attack that eventually succeeded, which would have been prevented if the account had been locked after a set number of incorrect attempts. On the CRISC exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between detective controls, like logging failed attempts, and preventive controls, like account lockout thresholds that stop the attack from completing. A common trap is to choose "failed login monitoring" because the error log shows the failures, but the real failure is that no action—specifically locking the account—was taken to control the repeated attempts. Remember the memory tip: "If the door opens after enough wrong keys, the lockout isn't working."
CRISC Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting Practice Question
This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of risk and control monitoring and reporting. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
Error Log (excerpt):
[2024-03-20 14:32:10] ERROR: ORA-01017: invalid username/password; logon denied
At: JDBC Thin Client connection from 192.168.1.100
[2024-03-20 14:32:15] ERROR: ORA-01017: invalid username/password; logon denied
At: JDBC Thin Client connection from 192.168.1.100
[2024-03-20 14:32:20] ERROR: ORA-01017: invalid username/password; logon denied
At: JDBC Thin Client connection from 192.168.1.100
[2024-03-20 14:32:25] ERROR: ORA-01017: invalid username/password; logon denied
At: JDBC Thin Client connection from 192.168.1.100
[2024-03-20 14:32:30] INFO: User 'app_user' authenticated successfully from 192.168.1.100
A database error log shows repeated login failures followed by a successful authentication. Which control failure is MOST likely?
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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Account lockout policy is not enforced
The correct answer is D. The pattern suggests a brute force attack that succeeded because the account lockout threshold was not configured (or too high). Option A is possible but less direct; B is about failed attempts detection, but the control failure is the lack of lockout. C is about password complexity, not the cause of multiple attempts.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Account lockout policy is not enforced
Why this is correct
Account should have been locked after a few failures.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
No multi-factor authentication
Why it's wrong here
MFA would help but not the immediate missing control.
✗
Insufficient failed login monitoring
Why it's wrong here
Monitoring exists (log), but control prevents brute force.
✗
Weak password policy
Why it's wrong here
Password may be strong but still vulnerable to brute force.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related CRISC NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting — This question tests Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Account lockout policy is not enforced — The correct answer is D. The pattern suggests a brute force attack that succeeded because the account lockout threshold was not configured (or too high). Option A is possible but less direct; B is about failed attempts detection, but the control failure is the lack of lockout. C is about password complexity, not the cause of multiple attempts.
What should I do if I get this CRISC question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related CRISC NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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