Quick Answer
The answer is incident and event monitoring. Observing multiple failed login attempts from a foreign IP address during a system log review is a textbook example of this activity because it involves the continuous surveillance of security events to detect anomalies, such as brute-force attacks, based on actual occurrences. On the Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control CRISC exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish reactive risk identification techniques—those triggered by real-time events—from proactive methods like threat modeling or vulnerability assessments. A common trap is confusing this with vulnerability scanning, but remember: incident and event monitoring focuses on what is happening now, not on finding weaknesses before they are exploited. For a memory tip, think of the phrase “Logs catch attacks in action”—if you are reviewing logs for suspicious activity, you are squarely in the realm of incident and event monitoring.
This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk identification. 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 practitioner is reviewing system logs and notices multiple failed login attempts from a foreign IP address. This observation is an example of which type of risk identification activity?
Control self-assessment
Why wrong: CSA is a self-evaluation, not real-time monitoring.
Threat intelligence gathering
Why wrong: Threat intelligence involves external sources, not internal logs.
Incident and event monitoring
Log review is a monitoring activity that identifies potential risks.
Vulnerability scanning
Why wrong: Vulnerability scanning identifies weaknesses, not active attempts.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Incident and event monitoring
The observation of multiple failed login attempts from a foreign IP address is a direct result of reviewing system logs, which is a core component of incident and event monitoring. This activity involves the continuous surveillance of security events to detect anomalies, such as brute-force attacks, and is a reactive risk identification technique that identifies risks based on actual occurrences.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Control self-assessment
Why it's wrong here
CSA is a self-evaluation, not real-time monitoring.
Threat intelligence gathering
Why it's wrong here
Threat intelligence involves external sources, not internal logs.
Incident and event monitoring
Why this is correct
Log review is a monitoring activity that identifies potential risks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Vulnerability scanning
Why it's wrong here
Vulnerability scanning identifies weaknesses, not active attempts.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'threat intelligence gathering' (which uses external feeds) with the internal log analysis of actual events, but the question specifically describes reviewing system logs, which is a direct example of incident and event monitoring.
Detailed technical explanation
Failed login attempts are typically logged in authentication subsystems such as Windows Security Event Log (Event ID 4625) or Linux /var/log/auth.log. The risk practitioner is performing event correlation, often using a SIEM tool, to identify patterns that exceed a threshold (e.g., 10 failures in 5 minutes from a single source IP), which is a classic indicator of a password spraying or brute-force attack. This activity falls under the 'Detect' function of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, specifically anomaly and event detection (DE.AE).
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
IT Risk Identification — This question tests IT Risk Identification — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Incident and event monitoring — The observation of multiple failed login attempts from a foreign IP address is a direct result of reviewing system logs, which is a core component of incident and event monitoring. This activity involves the continuous surveillance of security events to detect anomalies, such as brute-force attacks, and is a reactive risk identification technique that identifies risks based on actual occurrences.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 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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