The answer is threat intelligence feeds and incident reports. These are primary sources of IT risk identification because they provide direct, actionable data on actual or potential threats and vulnerabilities. Threat intelligence feeds offer real-time or near-real-time information on emerging attack vectors, malicious actors, and exploit trends from external sources, enabling proactive risk detection. Incident reports, as the explanation notes, deliver concrete evidence of past security events—such as system breaches or malware infections—allowing risk practitioners to identify control weaknesses and recurring patterns. On the CRISC exam, this question tests your understanding of the distinction between primary sources (direct evidence of risk) and secondary sources (like audit findings or vendor assessments). A common trap is confusing vulnerability scans, which identify technical weaknesses, with primary risk identification sources. For a memory tip, remember that primary sources are the “first responders” of risk data: threat feeds look outward, incident reports look inward.
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 primary sources of IT risk identification? (Select exactly TWO.)
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Incident reports
Incident reports are a primary source of IT risk identification because they provide direct evidence of past security events, such as malware infections, unauthorized access attempts, or system failures. By analyzing incident reports, risk practitioners can identify patterns, root causes, and control weaknesses that represent current or emerging risks. This historical data is essential for updating the risk register and prioritizing remediation efforts based on actual impact.
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.
✓
Incident reports
Why this is correct
Incident reports document past events and vulnerabilities, revealing risks that materialized.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Threat intelligence feeds
Why this is correct
Threat intelligence provides information on current and emerging threats, directly identifying risks.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Asset inventory
Why it's wrong here
Asset inventory is essential for context but does not itself identify risks.
✗
Risk appetite
Why it's wrong here
Risk appetite defines the level of risk the organization is willing to accept, not a source of identification.
✗
Policy documents
Why it's wrong here
Policies define requirements, not dynamic risk information.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often mistake asset inventory (a passive inventory list) as a primary risk identification source, when in fact it is a prerequisite for risk assessment but does not itself identify risks; the exam expects you to distinguish between inputs for risk assessment and sources that actively reveal risk events.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Incident reports often include detailed logs from SIEM systems, firewall alerts, or endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools, which can be correlated with threat intelligence feeds to identify active threat actors or campaigns. For example, a spike in brute-force attempts logged in Windows Event ID 4625 may indicate a targeted attack, directly feeding risk identification. Threat intelligence feeds, such as those from STIX/TAXII protocols, provide real-time indicators of compromise (IOCs) and adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that help identify risks before they materialize into incidents.
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: Incident reports — Incident reports are a primary source of IT risk identification because they provide direct evidence of past security events, such as malware infections, unauthorized access attempts, or system failures. By analyzing incident reports, risk practitioners can identify patterns, root causes, and control weaknesses that represent current or emerging risks. This historical data is essential for updating the risk register and prioritizing remediation efforts based on actual impact.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which TWO of the following are primary sources of risk identification for IT projects? (Select exactly 2.)
easy
A.Security baseline
✓ B.Project documentation
C.Risk treatment plan
D.Firewall logs
✓ E.Lessons learned from previous projects
Why B: Project documentation (Option B) is a primary source of risk identification because it contains the project scope, schedule, requirements, and assumptions that directly reveal potential risks such as resource constraints or scope creep. Lessons learned from previous projects (Option E) provide empirical data on actual risks encountered, mitigation effectiveness, and failure patterns, making them a critical input for identifying risks in new IT projects. Both sources are explicitly cited in the CRISC Review Manual as foundational inputs for the risk identification process.
Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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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.
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