ISC Systems Security Engineering Foundations Practice Question
When designing for 'System Survivability', what is the most critical engineering principle to incorporate?
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
✓
Graceful degradation
Graceful degradation ensures that the system maintains critical functionality even when non-critical components fail or are compromised.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Maximal feature set
Why it's wrong here
Complexity reduces survivability.
- ✗
Hardware redundancy only
Why it's wrong here
Survivability requires software and systemic redundancy, not just hardware.
- ✓
Graceful degradation
Why this is correct
Ensures the system continues to work at a base level under duress.
- ✗
Complete system lockdown upon error
Why it's wrong here
Lockdown prevents survivability.
About these practice questions
This ISC question is part of Courseiva's 209-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official (ISC)² exam blueprint
This ISC practice question is part of Courseiva's free (ISC)² 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 ISC exam.