Threat

A threat is any circumstance or event with the potential to adversely impact your organization through unauthorized access, destruction, disclosure, or modification of information, or denial of service. Threats can come from external attackers (hackers, nation-states, criminal organizations), insiders (disgruntled employees, negligent staff), or natural events (disasters, power failures).

Understanding the threats your organization faces helps you prioritize your security investments. Not all threats are equal — a defense contractor faces different threats than a retail store. Nation-state actors actively target the defense industrial base to steal sensitive technology and military information.