CRISC IT Risk Identification Practice Question
Which of the following is a key characteristic of a well-maintained risk register?
⚠ Common exam trap
CRISC often tests the misconception that a risk register is a one-time or annual exercise, when in fact it must be continuously updated to remain effective.
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
✓
It is updated regularly to reflect changes
A well-maintained risk register must be a living document that is updated regularly to reflect changes in the internal and external environment, such as new threats, changes in business processes, or the effectiveness of risk responses. This ensures that risk information remains current and relevant for decision-making. Regular updates enable timely risk response and support continuous risk monitoring, which is a core principle of risk management frameworks like COSO ERM and ISO 31000.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
It is maintained solely by the IT department
Why it's wrong here
Restricting ownership to IT excludes business risk owners, who are accountable for the risks affecting their functions. A well-maintained register assigns each risk an owner at the appropriate level, often outside IT. Sole IT maintenance is tempting where IT drives the process, but it undermines ownership and treatment accountability.
- ✗
It is static and reviewed annually
Why it's wrong here
Annual review leaves the register stale against changing threats, so it fails the requirement for continuous monitoring and update. A well-maintained register is reviewed at defined intervals and on trigger events, reflecting current risk exposure. Static annual review is tempting as a minimum compliance cadence, but it does not support timely risk decisions.
- ✓
It is updated regularly to reflect changes
Why this is correct
Risk registers are living documents; regular updates ensure risks, ratings and owners reflect current threats, controls and business changes. Without periodic refresh, the register becomes stale and misdirects risk treatment decisions, defeating its purpose as a decision-support tool.
- ✗
It includes only high-impact risks
Why it's wrong here
A register must capture all identified risks, including low-impact and emerging ones, so that acceptance and monitoring decisions are documented. Recording only high-impact risks is tempting because it focuses scarce attention, but it hides the cumulative exposure of many smaller risks.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This CRISC question is part of Courseiva's 1,062-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISACA exam blueprint
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.