The answer is facilitating a brainstorming session with IT, operational technology (OT), and safety teams, as this is the most effective technique to identify IoT risks in a manufacturing environment. This cross-functional approach is critical because IoT integration blurs the line between traditional IT vulnerabilities—like unpatched firmware or weak network segmentation—and OT-specific hazards, such as loss of real-time control system integrity or compromised safety interlocks. On the CRISC exam, this scenario tests your understanding that risk identification for converged systems demands diverse expertise; a common trap is choosing a purely technical method like automated scanning, which misses operational and safety risks. To remember, think of the “three-legged stool” of IT, OT, and safety—each leg is essential for stability, and leaving one out causes the risk identification to collapse.
CRISC IT Risk Identification Practice Question
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 planning to deploy an IoT solution in a manufacturing plant. The risk manager is asked to identify risks associated with the integration of IoT devices into the plant network. Which of the following techniques would be MOST effective for identifying both technical and operational risks?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Facilitate a brainstorming session with IT, operational technology (OT), and safety teams
A brainstorming session that includes IT, operational technology (OT), and safety teams is the most effective technique because IoT integration creates a convergence of traditional IT risks (e.g., network segmentation, patch management) with OT-specific risks (e.g., real-time control system integrity, safety interlocks) and physical safety hazards. This cross-functional approach surfaces technical risks like unpatched firmware vulnerabilities in programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and operational risks such as unplanned downtime due to misconfigured device-to-controller communication protocols (e.g., Modbus/TCP without authentication).
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.
✗
Conduct a SWOT analysis of the IoT project
Why it's wrong here
SWOT is strategic, not focused on risk identification.
✓
Facilitate a brainstorming session with IT, operational technology (OT), and safety teams
Why this is correct
Brainstorming with diverse teams identifies both technical and operational risks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Interview the plant manager about operational challenges
Why it's wrong here
Single perspective may miss technical risks.
✗
Send a risk questionnaire to employees
Why it's wrong here
Questionnaires lack the interactive discussion needed to uncover complex risks.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISACA often tests the misconception that a single-stakeholder interview or a generic analysis tool is sufficient for risk identification in converged IT/OT environments, when in reality the most effective technique requires collaborative input from all relevant technical and operational domains to capture the full spectrum of risks.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In industrial IoT deployments, OT networks often use real-time protocols like PROFINET or EtherNet/IP that are sensitive to latency and jitter, while IT networks prioritize throughput and availability; a cross-functional brainstorming session can identify conflicts such as IoT devices flooding the OT network with broadcast traffic, causing timeouts in safety PLCs. A real-world scenario is when a temperature sensor IoT gateway uses DHCP from the IT domain, but the OT historian expects a static IP, leading to loss of critical process data and a near-miss safety incident.
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 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
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 Identification — This question tests IT Risk Identification — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Facilitate a brainstorming session with IT, operational technology (OT), and safety teams — A brainstorming session that includes IT, operational technology (OT), and safety teams is the most effective technique because IoT integration creates a convergence of traditional IT risks (e.g., network segmentation, patch management) with OT-specific risks (e.g., real-time control system integrity, safety interlocks) and physical safety hazards. This cross-functional approach surfaces technical risks like unpatched firmware vulnerabilities in programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and operational risks such as unplanned downtime due to misconfigured device-to-controller communication protocols (e.g., Modbus/TCP without authentication).
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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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.
Question Discussion
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