Ace Your CRISC Isaca Certification Exam

To ensure IT asset protection, having procedures for risk assessments on IT assets is the most important. These procedures enable an organization to systematically identify, evaluate, and mitigate risks associated with its IT assets. This process is crucial for understanding the vulnerabilities and threats that could potentially harm the assets and for implementing the necessary controls to protect them.

Procedures for Risk Assessments on IT Assets (Answer A):

Importance: Regular risk assessments help in identifying vulnerabilities and threats to IT assets, allowing the organization to prioritize and implement appropriate risk mitigation strategies.

Implementation: These procedures should be well-documented and regularly updated to reflect the changing threat landscape and the organization's evolving IT infrastructure.

Outcome: Effective risk assessments ensure that IT assets are protected from potential risks, thereby safeguarding the organization's data, systems, and overall IT environment.

Comparison with Other Options:

B. An IT asset management checklist:

Purpose: This helps in tracking and managing IT assets.

Limitation: It does not address risk assessment and mitigation directly.

C. An IT asset inventory populated by an automated scanning tool:

Purpose: Provides a detailed list of IT assets.

Limitation: While it helps in knowing what assets exist, it does not assess the risks associated with those assets.

D. A plan that includes processes for the recovery of IT assets:

Purpose: Focuses on recovery after an incident.

Limitation: It is reactive rather than proactive in protecting assets.

References:

ISACA CRISC Review Manual, Chapter 2, "IT Risk Assessment", which emphasizes the need for systematic risk assessments to manage and protect IT assets effectively.

 Understanding the Question:

The question asks which tool is best for aggregating data from multiple systems to identify abnormal behavior.

 Analyzing the Options:

A. Cyber threat intelligence: Provides information on potential threats but does not aggregate data from multiple systems for behavior analysis.

B. Anti-malware software: Focuses on detecting and removing malware, not aggregating data from multiple sources.

C. Endpoint detection and response (EDR): Monitors endpoints for suspicious activity but is more limited in scope compared to SIEM systems.

D. SIEM systems: Security Information and Event Management systems collect, aggregate, and analyze data from various sources to identify and respond to abnormal behavior.

 Detailed Explanation:

SIEM Systems: SIEM systems are designed to aggregate and analyze security data from multiple sources such as network devices, servers, and applications. They provide real-time analysis of security alerts generated by hardware and software.

Functionality: SIEM systems use advanced analytics to correlate data from different sources and detect patterns that indicate abnormal behavior. This makes them highly effective in identifying and responding to security incidents.

References:

CRISC Review Manual, Chapter 3: Risk Response and Reporting, mentions the importance of centralized monitoring systems like SIEM for effective risk management​​.

 The most important information to include when reporting the effectiveness of risk management to senior management is the changes in residual risk levels against acceptable levels, as it indicates how well the risk management process and activities have reduced the risk exposure and impact to the level that is aligned with the risk tolerance and appetite of the organization. The other options are not the most important information, as they are more related to the drivers, factors, or outcomes of risk management, respectively, rather than the effectiveness or value of risk management. References = CRISC Review Manual, 7th Edition, page 109.

The second line of defense is responsible for monitoring risk responses to ensure they align with organizational risk strategies. This role supports governance and compliance as defined in the Three Lines of Defense Model.