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.
During a risk assessment of a legacy system, the assessor finds that no control is currently in place. The inherent risk level is 'critical'. The residual risk will be:
Medium
Why wrong: Medium would require some controls.
Critical
No controls mean residual risk remains critical.
High
Why wrong: Inherent risk is critical, not high.
Low
Why wrong: Low would require strong controls.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Critical
Residual risk is the level of risk remaining after controls are applied. Since the scenario explicitly states that no control is currently in place, the residual risk remains identical to the inherent risk level, which is 'critical'. Therefore, the residual risk is also critical.
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.
Medium
Why it's wrong here
Medium would require some controls.
Critical
Why this is correct
No controls mean residual risk remains critical.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
High
Why it's wrong here
Inherent risk is critical, not high.
Low
Why it's wrong here
Low would require strong controls.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may assume residual risk is always lower than inherent risk, forgetting that without any controls, residual risk equals inherent risk by definition.
Detailed technical explanation
In risk assessment methodology, residual risk is calculated as inherent risk minus the effect of controls. When no controls are present, the control effectiveness is zero, so the residual risk mathematically equals the inherent risk. This aligns with the FAIR (Factor Analysis of Information Risk) model, where loss event frequency and loss magnitude remain unmodified without countermeasures.
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.
IT Risk Assessment — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
IT Risk Assessment practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All CRISC questions
500 questions across all exam domains
Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control CRISC study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
CRISC practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise CRISC questions linked to IT Risk Identification.
Practise CRISC questions linked to Risk Response and Mitigation.
Practise CRISC questions linked to Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting.
Practise CRISC questions linked to IT Risk Assessment.
Practise CRISC questions linked to CRISC fundamentals.
Practise CRISC questions linked to CRISC scenario.
Practise CRISC questions linked to CRISC troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
IT Risk Assessment — This question tests IT Risk Assessment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Critical — Residual risk is the level of risk remaining after controls are applied. Since the scenario explicitly states that no control is currently in place, the residual risk remains identical to the inherent risk level, which is 'critical'. Therefore, the residual risk is also critical.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.