- A
An employee may inadvertently share confidential data via email due to lack of data classification training.
This is a risk scenario with threat, vulnerability, and impact.
- B
The organization must comply with GDPR requirements for data protection.
Why wrong: This is a compliance obligation, not a risk scenario.
- C
An external attacker may exploit weak password policies to gain access to the email system and exfiltrate sensitive data.
This is a complete risk scenario.
- D
The database server has not been patched for critical vulnerabilities.
Why wrong: This is a vulnerability without a threat actor or impact.
- E
The IT department will implement multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Why wrong: This is a control, not a risk scenario.
Quick Answer
The answer is that an external attacker exploiting weak password policies to access the email system and exfiltrate sensitive data is a valid risk scenario, along with an employee inadvertently sharing confidential data via email due to a lack of data classification training. These are correct because they each describe a concrete, actionable chain of events linking a specific threat, a vulnerability, and a clear business impact, which is the core requirement for valid risk scenarios during IT risk identification. On the CRISC exam, this tests your ability to distinguish between a true risk scenario—one that describes how a threat could exploit a vulnerability to cause harm—and a mere statement of a control or compliance gap. A common trap is selecting options that only list a control deficiency without describing the resulting event or impact. For a memory tip, think of the “T-V-I” triad: every valid scenario must name a Threat, a Vulnerability, and the resulting Impact to be considered actionable.
CRISC IT Risk Identification Practice Question
This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk identification. 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.
Which TWO of the following are valid risk scenarios that should be documented during IT risk identification?
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
An employee may inadvertently share confidential data via email due to lack of data classification training.
Option A is correct because it describes a specific risk scenario: an employee inadvertently sharing confidential data via email due to lack of data classification training. This is a valid risk scenario as it identifies a threat (human error), a vulnerability (insufficient training), and a potential impact (data leakage). In IT risk identification, scenarios must be concrete and actionable, not just statements of compliance or controls.
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.
- ✓
An employee may inadvertently share confidential data via email due to lack of data classification training.
Why this is correct
This is a risk scenario with threat, vulnerability, and impact.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The organization must comply with GDPR requirements for data protection.
Why it's wrong here
This is a compliance obligation, not a risk scenario.
- ✓
An external attacker may exploit weak password policies to gain access to the email system and exfiltrate sensitive data.
Why this is correct
This is a complete risk scenario.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The database server has not been patched for critical vulnerabilities.
Why it's wrong here
This is a vulnerability without a threat actor or impact.
- ✗
The IT department will implement multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Why it's wrong here
This is a control, not a risk scenario.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often mistake compliance requirements (option B) or control implementations (option E) for risk scenarios, but CRISC requires scenarios to describe specific threat events with a clear cause-effect chain, not static states or planned actions.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
This is a compliance obligation, not a risk scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In IT risk identification, a risk scenario typically follows the structure: 'A [threat] may [action] via [vulnerability] to cause [impact].' For example, in option C, the threat is an external attacker, the action is exploiting weak password policies, and the impact is data exfiltration. This aligns with the FAIR (Factor Analysis of Information Risk) model, which decomposes risk into threat event frequency, vulnerability, and loss magnitude. Documenting scenarios rather than controls or compliance helps in quantitative risk analysis and prioritization.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CRISC question test?
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: An employee may inadvertently share confidential data via email due to lack of data classification training. — Option A is correct because it describes a specific risk scenario: an employee inadvertently sharing confidential data via email due to lack of data classification training. This is a valid risk scenario as it identifies a threat (human error), a vulnerability (insufficient training), and a potential impact (data leakage). In IT risk identification, scenarios must be concrete and actionable, not just statements of compliance or controls.
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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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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