Quick Answer
The answer is that the primary objectives of IT risk identification are to catalog threats and vulnerabilities. This is correct because the foundational step in any risk management framework is building a complete inventory of what could go wrong—specifically, the threat actors and events (like malware or insider misuse) and the weaknesses (such as unpatched CVEs or misconfigured firewalls) that could exploit your assets. On the Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control CRISC exam, this concept tests your understanding that risk identification must occur before any analysis or treatment; a common trap is confusing identification with assessment or mitigation. Remember, you cannot analyze or fix a risk you have not yet named. A useful memory tip is to think of the "ID" in identification as standing for "Inventory and Document"—you are simply listing threats and vulnerabilities, not evaluating them.
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.
Which TWO are primary objectives of IT risk identification?
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.
Assign risk owners
Why wrong: Risk owners are assigned after identification.
Determine risk appetite
Why wrong: Risk appetite is determined after risks are identified.
Identify threats and vulnerabilities
This is the direct objective of risk identification.
Inventory assets
Knowing assets is essential for risk identification.
Implement controls
Why wrong: Implementing controls is part of risk treatment.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Identify threats and vulnerabilities
Option C is correct because IT risk identification primarily involves cataloging threats (e.g., malware, insider misuse) and vulnerabilities (e.g., unpatched CVEs, misconfigured firewalls) that could exploit weaknesses in assets. This step is foundational to building a risk register and precedes any analysis or treatment. Without identifying specific threats and vulnerabilities, subsequent risk assessment and mitigation efforts would lack a factual basis.
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.
Assign risk owners
Why it's wrong here
Risk owners are assigned after identification.
Determine risk appetite
Why it's wrong here
Risk appetite is determined after risks are identified.
Identify threats and vulnerabilities
Why this is correct
This is the direct objective of risk identification.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Inventory assets
Why this is correct
Knowing assets is essential for risk identification.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Implement controls
Why it's wrong here
Implementing controls is part of risk treatment.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse the outputs of risk identification (threats, vulnerabilities, assets) with later-stage activities like assigning ownership or implementing controls, leading them to select options A or E incorrectly.
Detailed technical explanation
In practice, IT risk identification often leverages frameworks like NIST SP 800-30 or ISO 27005, which require asset inventory (Option D) as a prerequisite to map threats and vulnerabilities. For example, an unpatched Apache Struts CVE-2017-5638 is a vulnerability, and a remote attacker exploiting it is a threat; both must be identified before calculating likelihood and impact. Real-world scenarios, such as the Equifax breach, highlight how failing to identify a known vulnerability in an asset inventory leads to unmanaged risk.
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
IT Risk Identification — study guide chapter
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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: Identify threats and vulnerabilities — Option C is correct because IT risk identification primarily involves cataloging threats (e.g., malware, insider misuse) and vulnerabilities (e.g., unpatched CVEs, misconfigured firewalls) that could exploit weaknesses in assets. This step is foundational to building a risk register and precedes any analysis or treatment. Without identifying specific threats and vulnerabilities, subsequent risk assessment and mitigation efforts would lack a factual basis.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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.
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