Master the 2026 CRISC Challenge – Grab Your Risk Control Superpowers!

Preventive controls are designed specifically to avert potential incidents or risks before they can occur. These controls focus on identifying vulnerabilities and mitigating them in advance, thereby reducing the likelihood of an adverse event. Common examples of preventive controls include security policies, access controls, employee training, and physical security measures, all of which are intended to stop breaches or failures before they happen.

This emphasis on preemptive action distinguishes preventive controls from other types. Detective controls, for example, are intended to discover and alert an organization about incidents that are currently happening or have already occurred, thus playing a reactive role rather than a proactive one. Corrective controls are designed to rectify problems after they have been identified, focusing on recovery and remediation rather than prevention. Directive controls instruct behavior and set the organizational direction, but they don't specifically prevent incidents.

In contrast, preventive controls are all about establishing safeguards and protocols that minimize risks effectively, making them crucial in any risk management strategy.