- A
Preventive control
Preventive controls are implemented to avoid the occurrence of an event.
- B
Detective control
Why wrong: Detective controls identify incidents after they occur, such as intrusion detection systems.
- C
Corrective control
Why wrong: Corrective controls remediate incidents after detection, such as backup restoration.
- D
Compensating control
Why wrong: Compensating controls provide alternative measures when primary controls are not feasible.
Question 292 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 type of control is designed to operate before an event to prevent an undesirable outcome?
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
✓
Preventive control
A preventive control is designed to operate before an event to stop an undesirable outcome from occurring. In risk management, this includes measures such as firewalls blocking unauthorized traffic before it reaches the internal network, or access control lists (ACLs) preventing unauthorized users from reading sensitive files. These controls proactively enforce security policies to reduce the likelihood of a risk event.
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.
- ✓
Preventive control
Why this is correct
Preventive controls are implemented to avoid the occurrence of an event.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Detective control
Why it's wrong here
Detective controls identify incidents after they occur, such as intrusion detection systems.
- ✗
Corrective control
Why it's wrong here
Corrective controls remediate incidents after detection, such as backup restoration.
- ✗
Compensating control
Why it's wrong here
Compensating controls provide alternative measures when primary controls are not feasible.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between preventive and detective controls by presenting scenarios where a control like an IDS is mistakenly thought to prevent attacks, when in fact it only detects them after they have begun.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Preventive controls are often implemented at the network perimeter using stateful inspection firewalls that examine packet headers and enforce rules based on source/destination IPs and ports before any data is allowed through. In identity management, multifactor authentication (MFA) acts as a preventive control by requiring a second factor (e.g., a TOTP token) before granting access, effectively blocking credential theft attacks. Under the hood, these controls rely on policy decision points (PDPs) that evaluate requests against a set of rules before any action is taken.
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 security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
Visual reference
What to study next
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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: Preventive control — A preventive control is designed to operate before an event to stop an undesirable outcome from occurring. In risk management, this includes measures such as firewalls blocking unauthorized traffic before it reaches the internal network, or access control lists (ACLs) preventing unauthorized users from reading sensitive files. These controls proactively enforce security policies to reduce the likelihood of a risk event.
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.
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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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