Quick Answer
The answer is identify risks, assess risks, and mitigate risks. These three form the foundational cycle of a security risk management program because you cannot manage what you have not identified, you cannot prioritize without assessment, and you cannot reduce exposure without mitigation. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this question tests your grasp of the overarching program objectives versus specific technical controls; a common trap is confusing risk treatment options like avoidance or transfer with the core program objectives themselves. Remember that the program’s high-level goals are always about discovery, evaluation, and action—not the specific tools used to achieve them. A simple memory tip is the “IAM” sequence: Identify, Assess, Mitigate—think of it as the three pillars that support every risk management framework.
This CC practice question tests your understanding of security principles. 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 THREE of the following are key objectives of a security risk management program?
Assess risks
Risk assessment determines impact and likelihood.
Identify risks
Risk identification is a primary objective.
Implement intrusion detection systems
Why wrong: IDS is a technical control, not an objective.
Encrypt all data at rest
Why wrong: Encryption is a control, not a risk management objective.
Mitigate risks
Risk mitigation reduces risk to an acceptable level.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Assess risks
Correct: Identify risks (A), assess risks (B), and mitigate risks (C) are core steps. Option D and E are specific controls, not overarching objectives.
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.
Assess risks
Why this is correct
Risk assessment determines impact and likelihood.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Identify risks
Why this is correct
Risk identification is a primary objective.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Implement intrusion detection systems
Why it's wrong here
IDS is a technical control, not an objective.
Encrypt all data at rest
Why it's wrong here
Encryption is a control, not a risk management objective.
Mitigate risks
Why this is correct
Risk mitigation reduces risk to an acceptable level.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
Identify which CC exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Security Principles — This question tests Security Principles — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Assess risks — Correct: Identify risks (A), assess risks (B), and mitigate risks (C) are core steps. Option D and E are specific controls, not overarching objectives.
Identify which CC exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CC exam.
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