- A
Average time to detect a breach
Why wrong: This is a performance metric, not a leading indicator of risk level.
- B
Number of data breaches in the past quarter
Why wrong: This is a lagging indicator, as it measures past incidents.
- C
Percentage of systems with unpatched critical vulnerabilities
This is a leading indicator; a high percentage suggests increased risk of future breaches.
- D
Number of security incidents closed
Why wrong: This is a lagging indicator of incident management effectiveness.
Question 205 of 1,000
CRISC Risk Response and Reporting Practice Question
This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of risk response and reporting. 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.
Which of the following is a leading Key Risk Indicator (KRI) for the risk of a data breach?
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
✓
Percentage of systems with unpatched critical vulnerabilities
A leading KRI predicts future risk events. The percentage of systems with unpatched critical vulnerabilities directly indicates an increasing attack surface and likelihood of exploitation, making it a leading indicator for a data breach. In contrast, lagging indicators like detection time or breach count measure past incidents.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Average time to detect a breach
Why it's wrong here
This is a performance metric, not a leading indicator of risk level.
- ✗
Number of data breaches in the past quarter
Why it's wrong here
This is a lagging indicator, as it measures past incidents.
- ✓
Percentage of systems with unpatched critical vulnerabilities
Why this is correct
This is a leading indicator; a high percentage suggests increased risk of future breaches.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Number of security incidents closed
Why it's wrong here
This is a lagging indicator of incident management effectiveness.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse lagging indicators (like breach count or detection time) with leading indicators, failing to recognize that a leading KRI must predict future risk, not measure past events.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Leading KRIs like unpatched vulnerability percentages are derived from continuous vulnerability scanning (e.g., using Nessus or Qualys) and correlated with CVSS scores. A high percentage of systems with critical unpatched vulnerabilities (CVSS >= 9.0) directly increases the probability of exploitation by known malware or ransomware, as attackers often weaponize patches within days (e.g., CVE-2021-44228 Log4j). This KRI enables proactive patching before a breach occurs, unlike lagging metrics that only quantify damage after the fact.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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
Questions learners often ask
What does this CRISC question test?
Risk Response and Reporting — This question tests Risk Response and Reporting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Percentage of systems with unpatched critical vulnerabilities — A leading KRI predicts future risk events. The percentage of systems with unpatched critical vulnerabilities directly indicates an increasing attack surface and likelihood of exploitation, making it a leading indicator for a data breach. In contrast, lagging indicators like detection time or breach count measure past incidents.
What should I do if I get this CRISC question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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