CISSP Security and Risk Management Practice Question
Which TWO of the following are examples of risk response strategies?
⚠ Common exam trap
CISSP often tests the boundary between risk assessment activities (identification, analysis, evaluation) and risk response strategies — the trap is selecting 'risk analysis' or 'risk identification' because they sound like risk management actions when they are inputs to, not outputs of, the response decision.
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
✓
Risk acceptance
Risk acceptance (A) is a valid risk response strategy because the organization consciously decides to acknowledge a risk and take no proactive action to mitigate it, often documenting the decision and setting aside contingency reserves. Risk avoidance (D) is also a valid risk response strategy because it involves eliminating the risk entirely by changing plans, such as discontinuing a risky activity, technology, or process. These two belong to the standard risk response categories (avoid, transfer, mitigate, accept), so they directly answer the question. In contrast, risk analysis (B) and risk identification (C) are earlier risk management process steps used to discover and evaluate risks, not strategies for responding to them, and risk communication (E) is an ongoing activity for sharing risk information among stakeholders rather than a response strategy itself.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Risk acceptance
Why this is correct
Risk acceptance is a deliberate decision by an organization to acknowledge and bear the potential consequences of a specific risk, often when the cost or effort of implementing other response strategies outweighs the potential impact. This strategy is typically documented, and the organization may establish a contingency plan or simply monitor the risk without further action.
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Risk analysis
Why it's wrong here
Risk analysis is a critical component of the broader risk assessment process, focusing on evaluating the likelihood of a risk event occurring and the potential impact if it does. This analytical phase uses qualitative or quantitative methods to determine the magnitude of risk, providing the necessary information to inform subsequent decisions on appropriate risk response strategies, rather than being a response itself.
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Risk identification
Why it's wrong here
Risk identification is the foundational first step in the risk assessment process, where potential threats, vulnerabilities, and their associated risks to an organization's assets are discovered and documented. This crucial activity precedes any evaluation or decision-making regarding how to address the risks, thus classifying it as an assessment function rather than a direct risk response strategy.
- ✓
Risk avoidance
Why this is correct
Risk avoidance is a proactive risk response strategy that involves eliminating the activity, process, or condition that gives rise to a specific risk altogether. This might entail discontinuing a particular service, refraining from adopting a new technology, or choosing not to engage in a high-risk venture if the potential negative consequences are deemed unacceptable.
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Risk communication
Why it's wrong here
Risk communication is an ongoing, vital process throughout the entire risk management lifecycle, ensuring that all relevant stakeholders are informed about identified risks, assessment findings, and the chosen response strategies. While indispensable for effective governance and decision-making, it serves as a supporting function to facilitate understanding and collaboration, rather than being a strategic approach to directly manage or alter a risk's impact or likelihood.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Key term
Risk
Risk is the possibility that an event or action will negatively affect an organization's ability to achieve its goals, often measured in terms of likelihood and impact.
Key term
Identification
Identification is the process where a user or device claims an identity, often by providing a username, ID number, or account name, before proving that claim with authentication.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
This CISSP 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 CISSP exam.