Isaca Updated CRISC Exam Questions and Answers by aminah

The primary reason for a risk practitioner to report changes and trends in the IT risk profile to senior management is to ensure that IT risk is managed within acceptable limits, because it helps to inform and advise the senior management on the current state and direction of IT risk, and to support the risk-based decision making and prioritization. An IT risk profile is a summary of the key IT risks that an organization faces, and their implications for the organization’s objectives and strategy. An IT risk profile may change or evolve over time, due to factors such as new technologies, business initiatives, or external events. Reporting changes and trends in the IT risk profile to senior management is the primary reason, as it helps to ensure that the senior management is aware of and prepared for the IT risk challenges and opportunities, and that the IT risk is managed within the acceptable limits defined by the organization’s risk appetite and tolerance. To ensure risk owners understand their responsibilities, to ensure the organization complies with legal requirements, and to ensure the IT risk awareness program is effective are all possible reasons for reporting changes and trends in the IT risk profile, but they are not the primary reason, as they are not directly related to the management of IT risk within acceptable limits. References = Risk and Information Systems Control Study Manual, Chapter 3, Section 3.2.3, page 91

The first course of action for the risk practitioner when identifying ineffective controls is to determine whether the impact of the control failure is outside the risk appetite of the organization. The risk appetite is the amount and type of risk that an organization is willing to accept in pursuit of its objectives. If the impact is within the risk appetite, the risk practitioner may decide to accept the risk or monitor the situation. If the impact is outside the risk appetite, the risk practitioner may need to escalate the issue, report the ineffective control, request a formal acceptance of risk, or deploy a compensating control.

References: The answer is based on the following sources:

•CRISC Review Manual, 7th Edition, Chapter 3: Risk Response and Reporting, pages 149-1501

•CRISC Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Database, 12 Month Subscription, Question ID: QID-10042

•Effective Risk Management Strategies | CRISC Exam Preparation3

Preparing a risk response that is aligned to the organization’s risk tolerance is the next step after completing a risk assessment and reporting the validated vulnerability findings that require mitigation to the application owner, because it helps to define and implement the appropriate actions to reduce or eliminate the risk, or to prepare for and recover from the potential consequences. A risk response is a strategy or tactic for managing the identified risks, such as avoiding, transferring, mitigating, or accepting the risk. A risk response should be aligned to the organization’s risk tolerance, which is the acceptable level of variation from the organization’s objectives or expectations. A vulnerability is a weakness or flaw in an IT system or application that can be exploited by a threat or attack to cause harm or damage. A vulnerability finding is a result of a vulnerability assessment, which is a process of identifying and evaluating the vulnerabilities in an IT system or application. A vulnerability finding requires mitigation, which is a type of risk response that involves applying controls or countermeasures to reduce the likelihood or impact of the risk. Therefore, preparing a risk response that is aligned to the organization’s risk tolerance is the next step, as it helps to address the vulnerability findings and to achieve the desired level of risk. Reporting the findings to executive management, reassessing each vulnerability, and conducting a penetration test are all possible steps to perform after preparing a risk response, but they are not the next step, as they depend on the results and approval of the risk response. References = Risk and Information Systems Control Study Manual, Chapter 3, Section 3.4.2, page 103

The most important consideration is that the risk framework and policies are adaptable and suitable for emerging technologies. This ensures that the organization's approach to risk management remains effective and relevant as new technologies are adopted, helping to mitigate potential risks associated with these technologies.