- A
Risk acceptance
Why wrong: Incorrect: Acceptance would mean acknowledging the risk without implementing additional controls.
- B
Risk avoidance
Why wrong: Incorrect: Avoidance would mean discontinuing the system or process.
- C
Risk transfer
Why wrong: Incorrect: Transfer would involve insurance or outsourcing.
- D
Risk mitigation
Correct: Mitigation reduces risk through controls like segmentation and monitoring.
Question 603 of 1,000
SSCP Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of risk identification, monitoring, and analysis. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
During a risk assessment, a company identifies that a legacy system has a known CVE with a CVSS score of 9.8. The system is critical but cannot be patched immediately. The management decides to implement strict network segmentation and monitor the system continuously. This risk response is best described as:
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue:
"immediately / without restart"Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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
The correct answer is D, risk mitigation, because the company is implementing strict network segmentation and continuous monitoring to reduce the likelihood and impact of the vulnerability being exploited. This reduces the risk without eliminating it entirely, which is the essence of mitigation. The CVSS score of 9.8 indicates critical severity, and the controls (e.g., ACLs, VLANs, IDS/IPS) directly address the attack surface.
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 acceptance
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Acceptance would mean acknowledging the risk without implementing additional controls.
- ✗
Risk avoidance
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Avoidance would mean discontinuing the system or process.
- ✗
Risk transfer
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Transfer would involve insurance or outsourcing.
- ✓
Risk mitigation
Why this is correct
Correct: Mitigation reduces risk through controls like segmentation and monitoring.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'risk mitigation' with 'risk acceptance' because the system remains vulnerable, but the key distinction is that active controls are applied to reduce risk, not merely acknowledged.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Network segmentation in this context typically uses VLANs, firewall rules (e.g., deny-by-default), and possibly micro-segmentation to isolate the legacy system from the rest of the network. Continuous monitoring often involves SIEM correlation rules tuned to detect exploitation attempts against the specific CVE, such as anomalous outbound connections or privilege escalation patterns. In real-world scenarios, this approach is common for OT/ICS environments where patching is delayed due to operational continuity requirements.
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.
Visual reference
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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Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis — study guide chapter
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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 — The correct answer is D, risk mitigation, because the company is implementing strict network segmentation and continuous monitoring to reduce the likelihood and impact of the vulnerability being exploited. This reduces the risk without eliminating it entirely, which is the essence of mitigation. The CVSS score of 9.8 indicates critical severity, and the controls (e.g., ACLs, VLANs, IDS/IPS) directly address the attack surface.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best", "immediately / without restart". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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