Which control detects and reports when errors or unauthorized uses occur?

Which control detects and reports when errors or unauthorized uses occur?

• A. Corrective control
• B. Compensating control
• C. Detective control
• D. Frequency analysis

Answer: (C)

Detective controls are designed to identify and report when errors occur or when access is unauthorized. They provide visibility into what happened by monitoring activities, capturing events, and triggering alerts or reports so security teams can investigate and respond. They don’t prevent the incident from occurring; they focus on detection and notification, enabling timely remediation. The other types don’t fit this purpose as well. Corrective controls act after an incident to restore systems and reduce impact, not to detect it in real time. Compensating controls are alternative measures used when primary controls aren’t feasible, and they aren’t inherently about detecting and reporting incidents. Frequency analysis is a data analysis technique and not a formal control category focused on detection and reporting of errors or unauthorized use.

Detective controls are designed to identify and report when errors occur or when access is unauthorized. They provide visibility into what happened by monitoring activities, capturing events, and triggering alerts or reports so security teams can investigate and respond. They don’t prevent the incident from occurring; they focus on detection and notification, enabling timely remediation.

The other types don’t fit this purpose as well. Corrective controls act after an incident to restore systems and reduce impact, not to detect it in real time. Compensating controls are alternative measures used when primary controls aren’t feasible, and they aren’t inherently about detecting and reporting incidents. Frequency analysis is a data analysis technique and not a formal control category focused on detection and reporting of errors or unauthorized use.