- A
Corrective control
Why wrong: Corrective controls fix issues after detection.
- B
Preventive control
Preventive controls aim to stop events from happening.
- C
Directive control
Why wrong: Directive controls guide behavior but do not prevent events.
- D
Detective control
Why wrong: Detective controls identify events after they occur.
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 stop an undesirable event from occurring?
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
Preventive control is designed to stop an undesirable event from occurring by enforcing policies or technical barriers before the event happens. For example, a firewall rule that blocks inbound traffic on port 23 (Telnet) prevents unauthorized remote access attempts, directly reducing the likelihood of a security incident.
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.
- ✗
Corrective control
Why it's wrong here
Corrective controls fix issues after detection.
- ✓
Preventive control
Why this is correct
Preventive controls aim to stop events from happening.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Directive control
Why it's wrong here
Directive controls guide behavior but do not prevent events.
- ✗
Detective control
Why it's wrong here
Detective controls identify events after they occur.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse preventive controls with detective controls, mistakenly thinking that monitoring or alerting (detective) can stop an event, when in fact prevention requires proactive blocking mechanisms like access control lists (ACLs) or input validation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Preventive controls operate at the network, host, or application layer to enforce access restrictions or validate inputs before processing. For instance, a web application firewall (WAF) inspects HTTP requests and drops those matching SQL injection patterns (e.g., ' OR 1=1--) before they reach the backend database, effectively stopping the attack vector. In contrast, detective controls like audit logs only record the event after it happens, providing no real-time prevention.
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: Preventive control — Preventive control is designed to stop an undesirable event from occurring by enforcing policies or technical barriers before the event happens. For example, a firewall rule that blocks inbound traffic on port 23 (Telnet) prevents unauthorized remote access attempts, directly reducing the likelihood of a security incident.
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
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: 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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