- A
Risk transfer
Why wrong: Transfer would involve, for example, purchasing cyber insurance.
- B
Risk mitigation
Mitigation applies controls to reduce risk.
- C
Risk acceptance
Why wrong: Acceptance means acknowledging the risk without additional controls.
- D
Risk avoidance
Why wrong: Avoidance would mean not using the application at all.
Question 810 of 1,000
SSCP Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of risk identification, monitoring, and analysis. 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.
A security team identifies a vulnerability in a web application that allows SQL injection. Which risk response strategy involves implementing input validation and parameterized queries to reduce the risk to an acceptable level?
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 mitigation
Option B is correct because risk mitigation involves applying controls to reduce the likelihood or impact of a risk to an acceptable level. Implementing input validation and parameterized queries directly addresses the SQL injection vulnerability by preventing malicious SQL from being executed, thereby reducing the risk without eliminating the application's functionality.
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.
- ✗
Risk transfer
Why it's wrong here
Transfer would involve, for example, purchasing cyber insurance.
- ✓
Risk mitigation
Why this is correct
Mitigation applies controls to reduce risk.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Risk acceptance
Why it's wrong here
Acceptance means acknowledging the risk without additional controls.
- ✗
Risk avoidance
Why it's wrong here
Avoidance would mean not using the application at all.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between risk mitigation (applying controls to reduce risk) and risk avoidance (eliminating the activity entirely), tricking candidates who think input validation removes the risk completely rather than reducing it to an acceptable level.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Parameterized queries (also known as prepared statements) separate SQL logic from data by using placeholders (e.g., '?' in ODBC or ':param' in Oracle) that are bound at execution time, ensuring user input is never interpreted as executable code. Input validation (whitelisting allowed characters or patterns) adds a defense-in-depth layer, but parameterized queries are the definitive mitigation because they prevent SQL injection even if validation fails. In a real-world scenario, a legacy application using dynamic SQL concatenation (e.g., 'SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ' + userInput) would be refactored to use parameterized queries in languages like Java (PreparedStatement), Python (cursor.execute with parameters), or .NET (SqlCommand with Parameters.Add).
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 security team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
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 SSCP question test?
Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis — This question tests Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Risk mitigation — Option B is correct because risk mitigation involves applying controls to reduce the likelihood or impact of a risk to an acceptable level. Implementing input validation and parameterized queries directly addresses the SQL injection vulnerability by preventing malicious SQL from being executed, thereby reducing the risk without eliminating the application's functionality.
What should I do if I get this SSCP 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
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This SSCP 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 SSCP exam.
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