easyMultiple Choice
CRISC Practice Question: Is considering migrating its customer database to…
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers 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.
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
✓
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.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Vulnerability scanning
Why it's wrong here
Vulnerability scanning detects known flaws in running systems and cannot identify data exposure risks arising from an unbuilt cloud architecture. It is tempting because it is a standard recurring control, and it would be correct for continuously identifying technical weaknesses once the migrated database is operating in the public cloud.
- ✓
Threat modeling
Why this is correct
Threat modelling systematically enumerates threats, attack vectors and weaknesses against the database's architecture and data flows, exposing data-exposure scenarios before migration. It satisfies the stem's requirement for a primary risk identification technique by revealing threats that generic checklists would miss.
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Penetration testing
Why it's wrong here
Penetration testing validates exploitable weaknesses in a deployed environment, so it cannot enumerate exposure risks before the cloud migration design exists. It is tempting because it finds real attack paths, and it would be the right choice to verify controls after the customer database is live in the public cloud.
- ✗
Business impact analysis
Why it's wrong here
Business impact analysis quantifies consequences of disruption to critical processes; it does not identify data exposure risks in a cloud migration. It is tempting because it is a core risk management technique, and it would be correct when determining recovery priorities and tolerances for the customer database after risks are known.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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