This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk assessment. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
During a risk assessment, a risk practitioner identifies that a legacy application uses a deprecated encryption protocol. The application is critical for business operations and cannot be patched. Which of the following is the BEST approach to assess the risk?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Analyze the threat landscape and existing compensating controls to determine residual risk
The best approach is to consider the compensating controls in place. The risk should be evaluated in context of existing controls; if controls reduce likelihood/impact, residual risk may be acceptable. Option A is too extreme without analysis; option B is not a complete assessment; option D is premature.
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.
✗
Replace the application with a modern alternative
Why it's wrong here
Not part of risk assessment; it's a risk treatment decision after assessment.
✓
Analyze the threat landscape and existing compensating controls to determine residual risk
Why this is correct
Proper assessment involves analyzing threats and compensating controls to estimate residual risk.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Assign a high inherent risk score without further analysis
Why it's wrong here
Inherent risk should be assessed based on likelihood and impact, but residual risk requires control evaluation.
✗
Immediately escalate to senior management for an exception
Why it's wrong here
Escalation should follow documented risk acceptance process after assessment.
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.
IT Risk Assessment — This question tests IT Risk Assessment — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Analyze the threat landscape and existing compensating controls to determine residual risk — The best approach is to consider the compensating controls in place. The risk should be evaluated in context of existing controls; if controls reduce likelihood/impact, residual risk may be acceptable. Option A is too extreme without analysis; option B is not a complete assessment; option D is premature.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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