Threat (computer security)
lastmod 2025-05-07created 2025-04-301 edits
In computer security, a "threat" is a potential negative action or event enabled by a vulnerability that results in an unwanted impact on a computer system or application.
A threat can be either a negative "intentional" event (e.g. hacking: an individual cracker or a criminal organization) or an "accidental" negative event (e.g. the possibility of a computer malfunctioning, or the possibility of a natural disaster such as an earthquake, a fire, or a tornado), or otherwise a circumstance, capability, action, or event (the term incident is often used as a blanket term). A threat actor is an individual or group that can perform the threat action, such as exploiting a vulnerability to actualize a negative impact. An exploit is a vulnerability that a threat actor used to cause an incident.
Table of Information Security
| Related security categories | Computer security, Automotive security, Cybercrime (Cybersex trafficking, Computer fraud), Cybergeddon, Cyberterrorism, Cyberwarfare, Electronic warfare, Information warfare, Internet security, Mobile security, Network security, Copy protection, Digital rights management |
| Adware, Advanced persistent threat, Arbitrary code execution, Backdoors, Bombs (Fork, Logic, Time, Zip), Hardware backdoors, Code injection, Crimeware, Cross-site scripting, Cross-site leaks, DOM clobbering, History sniffing, Cryptojacking, Botnets, Data breach, Drive-by download, Browser Helper Objects, Viruses, Data scraping, Denial-of-service attack, Eavesdropping, Email fraud, Email spoofing, Exploits, Fraudulent dialers, Hacktivism, Infostealer, Insecure direct object reference, Keystroke loggers, Malware, Payload, Phishing (Voice), Polymorphic engine, Privilege escalation, Ransomware, Rootkits, Scareware, Shellcode, Spamming, Social engineering, Spyware, Software bugs, Trojan horses, Hardware Trojans, Remote access trojans, Vulnerability, Web shells, Wiper, Worms, SQL injection, Rogue security software, Zombie | |
| Defenses | Application security (Secure coding, Secure by default, Secure by design (Misuse case)), Computer access control (Authentication, (Multi-factor authentication), Authorization), Computer security software (Antivirus software, Security-focused operating system), Data-centric security, Software obfuscation, Data masking, Encryption, Firewall, Intrusion detection system (Host-based intrusion detection system (HIDS), Anomaly detection), Information security management (Information risk management, Security information and event management (SIEM)) Runtime application self-protection, Site isolation |