CRISC Information Technology and Security Practice Question
A manufacturing company is integrating its operational technology (OT) network with the corporate IT network to enable real-time data analytics. Which of the following risks should be prioritized during the risk assessment?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often focus on operational risks like latency or compatibility (options B and C) because they seem more immediate to the integration, but CRISC prioritizes security risks that introduce new attack vectors with potential for physical damage.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Attack path expansion from IT to OT networks
Integrating OT and IT networks creates a new attack path from the IT network to the OT network. Since OT systems often lack modern security controls and run legacy protocols (e.g., Modbus, DNP3), an attacker who compromises the IT network can pivot into the OT environment, potentially disrupting physical processes. This risk is prioritized because it introduces a direct, high-impact threat to safety and availability that did not exist before the integration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Attack path expansion from IT to OT networks
Why this is correct
Attack path expansion is the most critical risk, as it enables cyber attacks to reach OT systems with potential safety implications.
- ✗
Incompatibility of IT and OT software versions
Why it's wrong here
Incompatibility is a technical challenge but secondary to security risks.
- ✗
Increased latency in OT communications
Why it's wrong here
Latency is an operational issue but not the top security risk.
- ✗
Loss of data integrity in analytics dashboards
Why it's wrong here
Data integrity is important but not as critical as the risk of OT compromise.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CRISC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CRISC exam.