Which of the following is the objective of a frequency analysis?

The primary and specific objective of a frequency analysis is to estimate how often a particular adverse event or risk scenario is expected to occur within a defined period. This is a key component of quantitative risk assessment. The output, often expressed as the Annualized Rate of Occurrence (ARO), quantifies the likelihood component of the risk equation (Risk = Likelihood x Impact). This allows organizations to better understand and prioritize threats based on their expected recurrence.

A: This describes a risk management decision that uses the output of a frequency analysis, but it is not the objective of the analysis itself. B: This is too broad. Frequency analysis is typically applied to a single, specific risk scenario, not an aggregation of many different ones.

1. ISACA, CRISC Review Manual, 6th Edition, 2015, Chapter 2: IT Risk Assessment, p. 90. The manual defines frequency analysis in the context of determining the Annualized Rate of Occurrence (ARO), which is the estimated frequency of a threat occurring in one year.

2. ISACA, The Risk IT Framework, 2nd Edition, 2020, Process AP012: Manage Risk, p. 44. The framework describes risk analysis as including the estimation of the frequency and magnitude of risk scenarios.

3. Peltier, T. R. (2016). Information Security Risk Analysis, 3rd Edition. Auerbach Publications. Chapter 7 explicitly defines frequency analysis as the process of determining the likelihood of a threat event's occurrence. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1201/b10998