Cybersecurity risk is the chance that a threat will exploit a weakness and harm an organization’s operations, information, people, or reputation. Risk is not only about technology. It also includes people, processes, and the partners connected to the business (National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST], 2024).
Understanding cybersecurity risk means asking what can go wrong, how likely it is, how severe the impact would be, and what can reduce that exposure. International guidance frames this as identifying, assessing, and treating information security risks so organizations can prioritize protections and support business continuity (International Organization for Standardization [ISO] & International Electrotechnical Commission [IEC], 2022). Breach research helps leaders see why those risks matter to operations and resilience (Verizon, 2026).
Risk cannot be eliminated completely. The practical goal is to identify the risks that matter most and manage them with confidence.