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CRISC Practice Question: A SOC analyst observes repeated failed login…
A SOC analyst observes repeated failed login attempts from an external IP address targeting a user account. What is the best next step in the IT risk identification process?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISACA often tests the distinction between risk identification and risk response, trapping candidates who jump to blocking or escalation without first validating the threat through investigation.
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
✓
Investigate if the IP address is associated with known malicious activity
The first step in the IT risk identification process is to validate whether the observed event represents a genuine threat. Investigating the external IP address against threat intelligence feeds (e.g., VirusTotal, AlienVault OTX) confirms if it is associated with known malicious activity, such as a botnet or brute-force campaign, before taking any action. This aligns with the CRISC risk identification phase, where the goal is to characterize the risk event, not immediately respond or escalate.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Block the IP address immediately
Why it's wrong here
Blocking without analysis may be premature and could disrupt legitimate traffic.
- ✗
Conduct a vulnerability scan of the target system
Why it's wrong here
A vulnerability scan is not directly relevant to the failed login event; it focuses on system weaknesses.
- ✓
Investigate if the IP address is associated with known malicious activity
Why this is correct
Checking the IP against threat intelligence helps identify whether this is a known attacker, informing risk assessment.
- ✗
Escalate to the incident response team
Why it's wrong here
Escalation is appropriate after confirming a malicious intent, not as a first step.
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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.