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Threats

Threats describe what can cause harm to assets.

Definition

A threat is a potential actor, event, or condition that can negatively affect confidentiality, integrity, availability, safety, privacy, trust, or business continuity.

Common threat families

Threat family Examples
Social Phishing, impersonation, fraud
Credential Password guessing, token theft, session misuse
Malware Ransomware, spyware, destructive code
Insider Misuse, error, unauthorized access
Supply chain Vendor compromise, dependency compromise
Availability Outage, overload, service disruption
Physical Theft, facility issue, device loss
Environmental Fire, flood, power loss

Threat page pattern

A threat article should answer:

  • What assets does this threat target?
  • What weaknesses make it more likely?
  • What safeguards reduce it?
  • What evidence shows readiness?
  • What leadership decisions are required?