ITIL4F Key Concepts of ITIL 4 Practice Question
An organisation decides to outsource its email service to a cloud provider. Which of the following is a risk that is transferred from the consumer to the provider?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse the transfer of a financial cost (like licensing fees) with the transfer of a risk, or they assume that all user-related risks (like accidental deletion or misuse) are automatically transferred to the provider, when in fact the consumer typically retains those unless explicitly contracted otherwise.
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
✓
The provider's email server being compromised by a hacker
When an organization outsources its email service to a cloud provider, the provider assumes operational responsibility for the underlying infrastructure, including server security. The risk of the provider's email server being compromised by a hacker is transferred because the provider must implement and maintain security controls (e.g., firewalls, intrusion detection, patch management) to protect the server. This is a classic example of risk transfer in ITIL 4, where the provider accepts the residual risk associated with the technology they manage.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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The risk of employees misusing the email system
Why it's wrong here
The risk of employees misusing the email system, such as sending inappropriate content or using it for unauthorized personal activities, is primarily an internal governance and human resources concern. This risk exists whether the email service is managed internally or outsourced to a third-party provider. Outsourcing the technical infrastructure does not inherently create or eliminate this organizational policy and behavioral risk, although the monitoring tools might change.
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Users accidentally deleting important emails
Why it's wrong here
Users accidentally deleting important emails is an operational risk stemming from user error, which is inherent to any email system, whether managed internally or by an external provider. While an outsourced provider typically offers robust backup and recovery mechanisms to mitigate the *impact* of such deletions, the risk of the accidental deletion event itself is not uniquely introduced or significantly altered by the act of outsourcing the email service infrastructure.
- ✓
The provider's email server being compromised by a hacker
Why this is correct
When an organization outsources its email service, it transfers the direct operational control and security responsibility for the underlying infrastructure to the third-party provider. A compromise of the provider's email server by a hacker represents a critical third-party risk, as the organization's email data and service availability become directly dependent on the provider's security posture and incident response capabilities. This risk is a direct consequence of relinquishing internal control over the email infrastructure.
- ✗
The cost of licensing the email software
Why it's wrong here
The cost of licensing email software is a financial expenditure component, not a risk in the context of potential negative events or uncertainties. When an organization outsources its email service, direct software licensing costs are typically replaced by a service subscription fee paid to the provider, which bundles software, hardware, and management. While the overall financial model changes, the "cost of licensing" itself is a budgetary item, not an operational or security risk introduced by outsourcing.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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