- A
Technological impact (obsolescence of hardware)
Why wrong: Technological impact is not a standard category in business impact analysis.
- B
Environmental impact (pollution, waste)
Why wrong: Environmental is less common for IT risk; not a primary category.
- C
Operational impact (system downtime, productivity loss)
Operational impact is a key category.
- D
Regulatory impact (fines, mandatory remediation)
Regulatory impact is a key category.
- E
Financial impact (direct and indirect costs)
Financial impact is a key category.
Question 523 of 1,000
CRISC IT Risk Assessment Practice Question
This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk assessment. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A risk manager is evaluating the impact assessment for a potential data breach. Which THREE categories of impact should be considered in a comprehensive business impact analysis?
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
✓
Operational impact (system downtime, productivity loss)
Comprehensive impact assessment includes financial, operational, regulatory, and reputational categories. The question asks for three, and the correct ones are financial, regulatory, and reputational (or operational, any three of the four are acceptable; here we choose financial, regulatory, and reputational).
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Technological impact (obsolescence of hardware)
Why it's wrong here
Technological impact is not a standard category in business impact analysis.
- ✗
Environmental impact (pollution, waste)
Why it's wrong here
Environmental is less common for IT risk; not a primary category.
- ✓
Operational impact (system downtime, productivity loss)
Why this is correct
Operational impact is a key category.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Regulatory impact (fines, mandatory remediation)
Why this is correct
Regulatory impact is a key category.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Financial impact (direct and indirect costs)
Why this is correct
Financial impact is a key category.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the CRISC exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which CRISC exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CRISC question test?
IT Risk Assessment — This question tests IT Risk Assessment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Operational impact (system downtime, productivity loss) — Comprehensive impact assessment includes financial, operational, regulatory, and reputational categories. The question asks for three, and the correct ones are financial, regulatory, and reputational (or operational, any three of the four are acceptable; here we choose financial, regulatory, and reputational).
What should I do if I get this CRISC question wrong?
Identify which CRISC exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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