Quick Answer
The answer is to implement encryption in transit to reduce likelihood. This is the correct first step because the identified risk treatment for data in transit encryption gap directly addresses the vulnerability: data is protected at rest but exposed during transmission, so applying a technical safeguard like TLS 1.3 lowers the probability of interception. On the CRISC exam, this scenario tests your ability to prioritize controls based on the risk assessment—specifically, when both inherent and residual risks are high, you must choose a control that targets the root cause of the likelihood, not just the impact. A common trap is to recommend risk acceptance or additional monitoring, but the exam emphasizes that a direct technical fix is the most efficient first response. Memory tip: “Transit = Transmission = Treat Likelihood first.”
This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk assessment. 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.
A company has identified a risk of data breach due to weak encryption. The current controls include encryption at rest but not in transit. The risk assessment team calculates inherent risk as high and residual risk as high. What should the team recommend FIRST?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Implement encryption in transit to reduce likelihood
Directly mitigates the root cause.
Transfer the risk by purchasing cyber insurance
Why wrong: Risk transfer does not reduce likelihood or impact.
Avoid the risk by discontinuing data transmission
Why wrong: May not be feasible for business operations.
Accept the risk because it is already high
Why wrong: Acceptance should be considered after mitigation options.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Implement encryption in transit to reduce likelihood
The risk assessment team should first recommend implementing encryption in transit because the current controls only address data at rest, leaving data vulnerable during transmission. Since both inherent and residual risks are high, the most direct and effective control to reduce likelihood is to apply a technical safeguard like TLS 1.3 for data in transit, which directly addresses the identified gap.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Implement encryption in transit to reduce likelihood
Why this is correct
Directly mitigates the root cause.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Transfer the risk by purchasing cyber insurance
Why it's wrong here
Risk transfer does not reduce likelihood or impact.
Avoid the risk by discontinuing data transmission
Why it's wrong here
May not be feasible for business operations.
Accept the risk because it is already high
Why it's wrong here
Acceptance should be considered after mitigation options.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may think accepting high residual risk is acceptable if inherent risk is also high, but CRISC emphasizes that risk should be reduced to an acceptable level using controls before considering acceptance or transfer.
Detailed technical explanation
Encryption in transit is typically implemented using protocols like TLS 1.3 (RFC 8446) for network communications or IPsec for VPN tunnels, which protect data from eavesdropping and tampering during transmission over untrusted networks. In contrast, encryption at rest (e.g., AES-256 for stored data) does not protect data while it is being sent between systems, such as between a web server and a database or across public internet links. A real-world scenario is a healthcare provider using HTTPS (TLS) to secure patient data transmitted between clinics and a central server, where failing to do so would expose PHI to interception, violating HIPAA requirements.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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
IT Risk Assessment — This question tests IT Risk Assessment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Implement encryption in transit to reduce likelihood — The risk assessment team should first recommend implementing encryption in transit because the current controls only address data at rest, leaving data vulnerable during transmission. Since both inherent and residual risks are high, the most direct and effective control to reduce likelihood is to apply a technical safeguard like TLS 1.3 for data in transit, which directly addresses the identified gap.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 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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