The answer is asset inventory and threat intelligence feeds. These two inputs are foundational because risk identification requires knowing what you are protecting—the asset inventory provides a complete list of systems, data, and services like VMs or APIs in a cloud environment—and what you are protecting against—threat intelligence feeds deliver current data on emerging attack vectors, adversary tactics, and vulnerabilities. On the CRISC exam, this pairing tests your understanding that risk identification cannot occur in a vacuum; you must map threats to specific assets. A common trap is selecting “risk appetite” or “control testing results,” which belong to later phases like risk evaluation or control monitoring. Remember the mnemonic “T&A” for Threat intelligence and Asset inventory—these are the two direct inputs that kick off the risk identification process, ensuring every risk is tied to a real resource and a credible threat.
CRISC IT Risk Assessment Practice Question
This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk assessment. 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 IT risk manager is performing a risk assessment for a new cloud service. Which TWO of the following are key inputs to the risk identification process? (Select TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Threat intelligence feeds
Threat intelligence feeds (B) provide current information about emerging threats, attack vectors, and adversary tactics, which are essential for identifying relevant risks to the cloud service. An asset inventory (E) is a foundational input because it lists all assets (e.g., data, VMs, APIs) that could be affected, enabling the risk manager to map threats to specific resources. Both are direct inputs to the risk identification phase, as defined by the CRISC framework.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 appetite statement
Why it's wrong here
Risk appetite is used during risk evaluation, not identification.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Control testing results
Why it's wrong here
Control testing results are used to assess control effectiveness, not initial identification.
✗
Residual risk levels
Why it's wrong here
Residual risk is an output, not an input to identification.
✓
Asset inventory
Why this is correct
Asset inventory helps identify what needs to be protected.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse risk identification inputs with outputs from later phases, such as control testing results (C) or residual risk levels (D), because they are familiar terms in the overall risk management process but are not used at the start of identification.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Residual risk is an output, not an input to identification.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In practice, threat intelligence feeds often integrate with SIEM systems via STIX/TAXII protocols to automate the ingestion of indicators of compromise (IOCs), while asset inventories are maintained in CMDBs or cloud provider tools like AWS Config. During risk identification, the risk manager correlates asset types (e.g., S3 buckets, EC2 instances) with relevant threat scenarios (e.g., misconfiguration exploits, credential theft) to produce a comprehensive risk register. A real-world scenario: without an accurate asset inventory, a cloud service might miss identifying a shadow IT resource as a risk, leading to unaddressed vulnerabilities.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
IT Risk Assessment — This question tests IT Risk Assessment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Threat intelligence feeds — Threat intelligence feeds (B) provide current information about emerging threats, attack vectors, and adversary tactics, which are essential for identifying relevant risks to the cloud service. An asset inventory (E) is a foundational input because it lists all assets (e.g., data, VMs, APIs) that could be affected, enabling the risk manager to map threats to specific resources. Both are direct inputs to the risk identification phase, as defined by the CRISC framework.
What should I do if I get this CRISC question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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