- A
Conduct a gap analysis between ISO 27005 and NIST SP 800-39, then develop a phased transition plan with a longer timeline, presenting it to the parent company's board for approval.
Strategic approach that balances compliance with practicality and earns stakeholder buy-in.
- B
Continue using ISO 27005 and argue that it is equally valid, citing the principle of risk management flexibility and the disruption that a transition would cause.
Why wrong: Non-compliant with parent company mandate and may damage credibility.
- C
Hire external consultants to perform the quantitative assessments, allowing the internal team to focus on existing operations, and accept the cost as a business necessity.
Why wrong: Throws money at the problem without addressing the need for a proper transition and internal capability building.
- D
Immediately adopt the NIST framework and begin quantitative assessments, using industry-standard cost estimates to expedite the process within 30 days.
Why wrong: Unrealistic timeline and likely to cause errors, disruption, and team burnout.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to conduct a gap analysis between ISO 27005 and NIST SP 800-39, then develop a phased transition plan with a longer timeline for board approval. This approach is correct because a gap analysis systematically maps the differences between the two frameworks—such as the shift from qualitative to quantitative risk analysis—allowing you to propose a realistic, resource-aware schedule that addresses the parent company’s mandate without disrupting operations or compromising PHI security. On the CISSP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of risk management framework transition and stakeholder negotiation, often appearing as a question where the trap is choosing an aggressive, unrealistic timeline or outright non-compliance. The key is balancing security governance with business constraints, remembering that NIST SP 800-39 emphasizes a multilevel, organization-wide risk strategy that can accommodate phased adoption. Memory tip: “Gap then phase—don’t rush the risk race.”
CISSP Security and Risk Management Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security and risk management. 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.
You are the chief information security officer (CISO) of a large healthcare organization that handles protected health information (PHI). The organization has recently been acquired by a larger conglomerate, and the new parent company mandates that all subsidiaries adopt a single, unified risk management framework based on NIST SP 800-39. Your current framework is ISO 27005-based and has been effective for years. During the transition, you discover that the parent company's framework requires quantitative risk analysis for all critical assets, while your team has been primarily using qualitative analysis due to lack of accurate financial data. Moreover, the parent company expects all risk assessments to be completed within 30 days, a timeframe your team considers unrealistic given the number of assets. Several key stakeholders are concerned about the additional resource burden and potential disruption to operations. You need to propose a course of action that balances compliance with the parent company's mandate while maintaining operational effectiveness and minimizing risk to patient data.
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
Conduct a gap analysis between ISO 27005 and NIST SP 800-39, then develop a phased transition plan with a longer timeline, presenting it to the parent company's board for approval.
A gap analysis between ISO 27005 and NIST SP 800-39 identifies differences and allows a phased transition plan with a realistic timeline, which is then presented to the parent company for approval. This approach respects both frameworks and addresses stakeholder concerns. Option A is too aggressive and unrealistic. Option C is non-compliant and may lead to conflict. Option D neglects the need for a structured transition and may cause operational disruption.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Conduct a gap analysis between ISO 27005 and NIST SP 800-39, then develop a phased transition plan with a longer timeline, presenting it to the parent company's board for approval.
Why this is correct
Strategic approach that balances compliance with practicality and earns stakeholder buy-in.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Continue using ISO 27005 and argue that it is equally valid, citing the principle of risk management flexibility and the disruption that a transition would cause.
Why it's wrong here
Non-compliant with parent company mandate and may damage credibility.
- ✗
Hire external consultants to perform the quantitative assessments, allowing the internal team to focus on existing operations, and accept the cost as a business necessity.
Why it's wrong here
Throws money at the problem without addressing the need for a proper transition and internal capability building.
- ✗
Immediately adopt the NIST framework and begin quantitative assessments, using industry-standard cost estimates to expedite the process within 30 days.
Why it's wrong here
Unrealistic timeline and likely to cause errors, disruption, and team burnout.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related CISSP NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
- →
Security and Risk Management — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Security and Risk Management practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All CISSP questions
529 questions across all exam domains
- →
Certified Information Systems Security Professional CISSP study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
CISSP practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related CISSP practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Software Development Security practice questions
Practise CISSP questions linked to Software Development Security.
Security Assessment and Testing practice questions
Practise CISSP questions linked to Security Assessment and Testing.
Identity and Access Management practice questions
Practise CISSP questions linked to Identity and Access Management.
Security and Risk Management practice questions
Practise CISSP questions linked to Security and Risk Management.
Security Architecture and Engineering practice questions
Practise CISSP questions linked to Security Architecture and Engineering.
Communication and Network Security practice questions
Practise CISSP questions linked to Communication and Network Security.
Asset Security practice questions
Practise CISSP questions linked to Asset Security.
Security Operations practice questions
Practise CISSP questions linked to Security Operations.
CISSP fundamentals practice questions
Practise CISSP questions linked to CISSP fundamentals.
CISSP scenario practice questions
Practise CISSP questions linked to CISSP scenario.
CISSP troubleshooting practice questions
Practise CISSP questions linked to CISSP troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free CISSP practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISSP question test?
Security and Risk Management — This question tests Security and Risk Management — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Conduct a gap analysis between ISO 27005 and NIST SP 800-39, then develop a phased transition plan with a longer timeline, presenting it to the parent company's board for approval. — A gap analysis between ISO 27005 and NIST SP 800-39 identifies differences and allows a phased transition plan with a realistic timeline, which is then presented to the parent company for approval. This approach respects both frameworks and addresses stakeholder concerns. Option A is too aggressive and unrealistic. Option C is non-compliant and may lead to conflict. Option D neglects the need for a structured transition and may cause operational disruption.
What should I do if I get this CISSP question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related CISSP NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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: Jun 24, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.