Quick Answer
The correct first step is to test the control to ensure it is functioning correctly. This is because the absence of alerts does not confirm control effectiveness; a control can fail silently due to misconfigured detection logic, a broken sensor, or a logging error, meaning unauthorized access could be occurring undetected. On the CRISC exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the “verify before interpret” principle—a common trap is assuming that no alerts equal no incidents, when in fact the control itself may be the failure point. Risk practitioners must simulate a violation (e.g., a deliberate unauthorized access attempt) to confirm the control triggers an alert before drawing any conclusions about its performance. Memory tip: “No news is not good news—test the alarm before trusting the silence.”
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.
During a control monitoring review, the auditor finds that a control designed to detect unauthorized access has not triggered any alerts in six months. What should the risk practitioner do 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.
Document the lack of alerts as evidence of effectiveness.
Why wrong: Lack of alerts does not prove effectiveness.
Redesign the control with different parameters.
Why wrong: May be unnecessary if control works.
Test the control to ensure it is functioning correctly.
Verifies control effectiveness.
Increase the frequency of monitoring.
Why wrong: Not addressing the root cause.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Test the control to ensure it is functioning correctly.
The absence of alerts does not automatically confirm that the control is working; it could indicate that the control has failed silently or that the detection logic is misconfigured. The risk practitioner must first test the control (e.g., by simulating an unauthorized access attempt) to verify that it can actually detect and alert on violations. Only after confirming correct functionality can the lack of alerts be interpreted as evidence of effectiveness.
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.
Document the lack of alerts as evidence of effectiveness.
Why it's wrong here
Lack of alerts does not prove effectiveness.
Redesign the control with different parameters.
Why it's wrong here
May be unnecessary if control works.
Test the control to ensure it is functioning correctly.
Why this is correct
Verifies control effectiveness.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Increase the frequency of monitoring.
Why it's wrong here
Not addressing the root cause.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates assume a lack of alerts equals a lack of incidents, rather than recognizing that it could indicate a control failure, and they jump to redesign or increase monitoring without first validating the control's operational state.
Detailed technical explanation
In practice, detection controls like intrusion detection systems (IDS) or user behavior analytics (UBA) rely on rules or baselines that can become stale or misconfigured after updates. For example, a network-based IDS might have a signature that was accidentally disabled during a patch, or a log aggregation tool might have a filter that suppresses critical alerts. Testing involves sending a crafted packet or performing a known-bad action (e.g., a failed SSH brute force) to verify the alert pipeline end-to-end, including the sensor, the log collector, and the alerting mechanism.
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
Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting — This question tests Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Test the control to ensure it is functioning correctly. — The absence of alerts does not automatically confirm that the control is working; it could indicate that the control has failed silently or that the detection logic is misconfigured. The risk practitioner must first test the control (e.g., by simulating an unauthorized access attempt) to verify that it can actually detect and alert on violations. Only after confirming correct functionality can the lack of alerts be interpreted as evidence of effectiveness.
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 11, 2026
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