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CRISC Practice Question: After a security incident, an organization…
After a security incident, an organization discovers that a critical database was accessed by an unauthorized user due to weak authentication controls. As part of the IT risk assessment process, which step should have identified this vulnerability?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse risk identification with risk evaluation or risk treatment, mistakenly thinking that evaluating the impact of a weak control or treating it after discovery is the same as initially finding the vulnerability.
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
✓
Risk identification
Risk identification is the step in the IT risk assessment process where potential vulnerabilities, such as weak authentication controls, are systematically discovered and documented. In this scenario, the weak authentication that allowed unauthorized database access should have been identified during risk identification, which involves cataloging assets, threats, and existing controls. This step precedes any treatment, monitoring, or evaluation activities.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Risk treatment
Why it's wrong here
Risk treatment involves selecting controls to modify risk.
- ✗
Risk monitoring
Why it's wrong here
Risk monitoring involves ongoing review of risks and controls.
- ✓
Risk identification
Why this is correct
Risk identification is the step that identifies vulnerabilities.
- ✗
Risk evaluation
Why it's wrong here
Risk evaluation compares assessed risk against risk criteria, it does not identify vulnerabilities.
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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.