CRISC Risk Response and Reporting Practice Question
A security operations center (SOC) uses a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system to continuously monitor for suspicious activities. Which type of monitoring is being performed?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse continuous monitoring with vulnerability scanning or periodic testing, but the key differentiator is the real-time, event-driven nature of SIEM-based monitoring versus scheduled or point-in-time assessments.
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
✓
Continuous monitoring
The SOC is using a SIEM system to continuously monitor for suspicious activities, which aligns with continuous monitoring. Continuous monitoring involves real-time or near-real-time collection and analysis of security events to detect threats as they occur, rather than at scheduled intervals. SIEM systems aggregate logs and alerts from various sources to provide ongoing visibility into the security posture.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Periodic control testing
Why it's wrong here
Continuous monitoring via a SIEM is real-time event correlation, not scheduled control testing. Periodic control testing evaluates whether a control operates effectively at a point in time, such as quarterly access reviews or annual firewall rule audits. It would be correct where assurance requires sampling control design and operating effectiveness, not continuous threat detection.
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Compliance audit
Why it's wrong here
A compliance audit verifies adherence to standards at a point in time through evidence review, not continuous event monitoring. It is the right choice when demonstrating regulatory conformance rather than detecting suspicious activity as it occurs.
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Vulnerability scanning
Why it's wrong here
Vulnerability scanning enumerates known weaknesses on hosts rather than correlating live event streams, so it cannot satisfy the SIEM's continuous detection requirement. It is tempting because scanning also supports security monitoring, and it would be the right choice when the goal is identifying unpatched software or misconfigurations during periodic assessments.
- ✓
Continuous monitoring
Why this is correct
A SIEM ingesting and correlating event data around the clock to detect suspicious activity is performing continuous monitoring, the ongoing, automated observation of systems and controls. This satisfies the stem's requirement for uninterrupted surveillance rather than periodic or ad hoc review.
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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.