This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk identification. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 organization is considering migrating its customer database to a public cloud provider. Which of the following is the PRIMARY risk identification technique that should be used to identify potential data exposure risks?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Vulnerability scanning
Why wrong: Vulnerability scanning identifies known vulnerabilities but may miss configuration risks.
Threat modeling
Threat modeling systematically identifies threats relevant to the cloud migration.
Penetration testing
Why wrong: Penetration testing validates controls but is not a primary risk identification technique.
Business impact analysis
Why wrong: BIA assesses consequences, not the identification of risks.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Threat modeling
Threat modeling is the primary risk identification technique for proactively identifying potential data exposure risks during a cloud migration. It systematically analyzes the system architecture, data flows, and trust boundaries to uncover threats such as misconfigured access controls, insecure APIs, or data leakage between tenants. Unlike reactive techniques, threat modeling focuses on design-level vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
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.
Vulnerability scanning
Why it's wrong here
Vulnerability scanning identifies known vulnerabilities but may miss configuration risks.
Threat modeling
Why this is correct
Threat modeling systematically identifies threats relevant to the cloud migration.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Penetration testing
Why it's wrong here
Penetration testing validates controls but is not a primary risk identification technique.
Business impact analysis
Why it's wrong here
BIA assesses consequences, not the identification of risks.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse vulnerability scanning (a reactive, point-in-time check) with proactive risk identification, but threat modeling is the only technique that addresses design-level data exposure risks before migration.
Detailed technical explanation
Threat modeling often uses frameworks like STRIDE (Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Denial of Service, Elevation of Privilege) to systematically categorize threats. For a cloud database migration, a data flow diagram would highlight trust boundaries at the cloud provider's API gateway, where an Information Disclosure threat could arise from unencrypted data in transit or misconfigured bucket policies. Real-world scenarios include the Capital One breach (2019), where a misconfigured WAF allowed SSRF to access S3 buckets, a threat that threat modeling could have identified.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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: Threat modeling — Threat modeling is the primary risk identification technique for proactively identifying potential data exposure risks during a cloud migration. It systematically analyzes the system architecture, data flows, and trust boundaries to uncover threats such as misconfigured access controls, insecure APIs, or data leakage between tenants. Unlike reactive techniques, threat modeling focuses on design-level vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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