What is not one of the four main objectives of a risk analysis?

A well-executed risk analysis provides a great deal of useful information. A risk analysis has four main objectives.

What is not one of the four main objectives of a risk analysis?
A . Identifying assets and their value
B . Implementing counter measures
C . Establishing a balance between the costs of an incident and the costs of a security measure
D . Determining relevant vulnerabilities and threats

Answer: B

Explanation:

Implementing countermeasures is not one of the four main objectives of a risk analysis. A risk analysis is a systematic process that involves identifying, assessing, and evaluating potential risks to understand their likelihood and impact. Its objective is to develop strategies to manage or mitigate those risks effectively.

The four main objectives of a risk analysis are:

Identifying assets and their value: This involves determining what are the information assets that need to be protected and how valuable they are for the organization.

Determining relevant vulnerabilities and threats: This involves identifying what are the weaknesses or flaws in the information assets or systems that could be exploited by malicious actors or events and what are the sources or causes of those potential attacks or incidents.

Establishing a balance between the costs of an incident and the costs of a security measure: This involves estimating what are the potential consequences or impacts of a risk occurrence in terms of financial, operational, reputational, or legal losses and comparing them with what are the costs or benefits of implementing a security measure to prevent or reduce that risk.

Providing a basis for risk treatment decisions: This involves prioritizing the risks based on their likelihood and impact and selecting the most appropriate risk treatment options such as avoiding, transferring, reducing, or accepting the risk.

Implementing countermeasures is not an objective but an outcome of a risk analysis. Countermeasures are specific actions or controls that are designed to prevent or mitigate a risk occurrence or impact. Countermeasures are selected based on the results of a risk analysis and aligned with the organization’s risk appetite and objectives. Therefore, the correct answer is B.

Reference: [ISO/IEC 27005:2018], clauses 6-9; Risk Analysis – What Is It, Benefits, Example, Methods – WallStreetMojo.