Definition of risks

Some useful reminders about the definition of risk.

What is a risk?

A security risk is defined by the French National Agency for Information Systems Security (ANSSI) as a scenario that combines a feared event (sources of threats, critical asset, security criteria, security needs, impacts) and one or more threat scenarios (sources of threats, supporting asset, security criteria, threats, vulnerabilities)

Types of risks

Several types of risks can be distinguished (non-exhaustive list):

Types of risks
Example of risks

Privacy and data security risks

  • data confidentiality breach

  • data availability breach

  • data integrity breach

Legal risks

  • breach of professional secrecy

  • tort and contractual liability

  • criminal liability

  • loss of compliance with legal, regulatory, normative, sectoral or internal standards

Operational risks

  • Natural events

  • Internal fraud

  • Theft

  • Sabotage

  • Civil liability

  • System failure

  • Disclosure of confidential information

  • Damage to industrial equipment

  • Technological risks

  • Environmental risks

Financial risks

  • Market risk

  • Credit / counterparty risk

  • Liquidity risk

  • Political risk

Strategic risks

  • Non-compliance

  • Subcontractor

  • Transformation

  • Project

For more information

Risk assessment

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