Quick Answer
The correct approach is to perform a root cause analysis on the patching process. This is because the risk manager must identify the root cause risk—the underlying process deficiency that allowed a critical vulnerability to remain unpatched for 90 days—rather than simply documenting the vulnerability or re-verifying its existence. A root cause analysis for patching failures systematically examines procedural breakdowns, such as missed scanning cycles, lack of change management approval, or insufficient prioritization of database-specific patches like Oracle Critical Patch Updates. On the CRISC exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between risk identification and root cause analysis, a common trap where candidates mistakenly choose to re-scan or document the vulnerability instead of investigating the process failure. Remember the memory tip: "Patch the process, not just the server"—focus on why the process broke, not what broke.
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.
An internal audit report identifies that the IT department did not patch a critical vulnerability in a database server for 90 days. The risk manager wants to identify the root cause risk. Which approach should be used?
Interview the database system owner
Why wrong: Single interview may be biased; broader analysis needed.
Conduct a new vulnerability scan
Why wrong: Scan only reveals vulnerabilities, not causes.
Update the risk register with the finding
Why wrong: Register update records, not analyzes cause.
Perform a root cause analysis on the patching process
Root cause analysis identifies process gaps leading to the delay.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Perform a root cause analysis on the patching process
Option D is correct because the risk manager needs to identify the root cause risk, which requires understanding why the patching process failed to apply a critical security update within the required timeframe. A root cause analysis (RCA) on the patching process systematically examines procedural breakdowns, such as missed scanning cycles, lack of change management approval, or insufficient prioritization of database-specific patches (e.g., Oracle Critical Patch Updates). This approach directly addresses the underlying process deficiency rather than merely documenting or re-verifying the vulnerability.
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.
Interview the database system owner
Why it's wrong here
Single interview may be biased; broader analysis needed.
Conduct a new vulnerability scan
Why it's wrong here
Scan only reveals vulnerabilities, not causes.
Update the risk register with the finding
Why it's wrong here
Register update records, not analyzes cause.
Perform a root cause analysis on the patching process
Why this is correct
Root cause analysis identifies process gaps leading to the delay.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse operational remediation (e.g., rescanning or interviewing) with risk identification analysis, failing to recognize that the question specifically asks for identifying the root cause risk, not just confirming or logging the finding.
Detailed technical explanation
Root cause analysis in IT risk management often employs techniques like the '5 Whys' or fishbone diagrams to trace a patching failure back to specific control weaknesses, such as missing automated patch deployment tools (e.g., WSUS, SCCM) or inadequate service-level agreements (SLAs) for critical database servers. In practice, a 90-day delay on a critical vulnerability (e.g., CVE-2023-XXXX with CVSS 9.8) may indicate a breakdown in vulnerability management lifecycle phases: identification, prioritization, testing, deployment, and verification. The RCA would examine each phase to pinpoint whether the failure was due to resource constraints, lack of a change advisory board (CAB) approval, or insufficient testing windows for production database systems.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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: Perform a root cause analysis on the patching process — Option D is correct because the risk manager needs to identify the root cause risk, which requires understanding why the patching process failed to apply a critical security update within the required timeframe. A root cause analysis (RCA) on the patching process systematically examines procedural breakdowns, such as missed scanning cycles, lack of change management approval, or insufficient prioritization of database-specific patches (e.g., Oracle Critical Patch Updates). This approach directly addresses the underlying process deficiency rather than merely documenting or re-verifying the vulnerability.
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
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