Question 783 of 983
mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
Selecting the Right Risk Response: Mitigation When Controls Are Effective
During a risk assessment, the risk manager identifies that the likelihood of a cyber-attack is high due to recent industry trends. However, the existing controls are deemed effective in reducing impact. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate risk response?
Quick Answer
The answer is mitigate. Mitigate is the correct risk response selection because the scenario presents a high likelihood of a cyber-attack paired with controls that are already deemed effective at reducing impact; mitigation here means enhancing or adding controls to further lower that high likelihood, not accepting or transferring the residual risk. On the CRISC exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between risk response options when controls are partially effective—a common trap is choosing “accept” because the impact is already reduced, but the high likelihood still demands active treatment. Remember the memory tip: “High likelihood, effective controls? Mitigate to lower the odds.”
⚠ Common exam trap
ISACA often tests the distinction between 'mitigate' and 'transfer' by presenting scenarios where controls are effective but likelihood is high, leading candidates to incorrectly choose transfer (e.g., insurance) instead of recognizing that mitigation directly addresses the likelihood through additional technical controls.
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
✓
Mitigate
Mitigate is the most appropriate risk response because the likelihood of a cyber-attack is high, but existing controls are effective in reducing the impact. Mitigation involves implementing additional controls or enhancing existing ones to reduce the likelihood or impact further, which aligns with the scenario where controls are already effective but need to be strengthened to address the high likelihood.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Mitigate
Why this is correct
Mitigating by maintaining or enhancing controls is appropriate given high likelihood.
- ✗
Avoid
Why it's wrong here
Avoiding would discontinue the activity, which is likely too drastic.
- ✗
Accept
Why it's wrong here
Acceptance is not appropriate when likelihood is high and controls can be enhanced.
- ✗
Transfer
Why it's wrong here
Transferring (e.g., insurance) may be considered but does not address the root cause.
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Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on CRISC
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. During a risk assessment, an organization identifies that its primary data center is located in a flood-prone area. Which risk treatment option would best address this risk?
medium- A.Purchase business interruption insurance
- B.Move all operations to a cloud provider
- ✓ C.Implement flood barriers and redundant cooling systems
- D.Accept the risk and document it in the risk register
Why C: Implementing flood barriers and redundant cooling systems directly reduces the likelihood and impact of a flood event on the data center's physical infrastructure. This is a risk mitigation strategy that proactively addresses the root cause of the risk (flooding) by hardening the facility, which is the most effective treatment for a high-probability, high-impact physical threat.
Variation 2. A risk assessment for a healthcare organization reveals a high likelihood of data breaches due to weak encryption on portable devices. The organization decides to deploy full-disk encryption and enforce multi-factor authentication. Which risk response strategy is being applied?
hard- A.Transfer
- B.Acceptance
- C.Avoidance
- ✓ D.Mitigation
Why D: Deploying full-disk encryption and multi-factor authentication directly reduces the likelihood and/or impact of data breaches from weak encryption on portable devices. This is the definition of risk mitigation — applying controls to lower risk to an acceptable level. The organization is actively reducing the vulnerability, not transferring, accepting, or avoiding the risk.
Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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