What is meant by “impact” in the context of risk assessment?

In the context of risk assessment, "impact" refers to the consequences or damage that could occur if a threat is realized. This involves evaluating the severity of the potential outcomes resulting from a cybersecurity incident, such as data breaches, system failures, or reputational harm. Understanding the impact is crucial for organizations as it helps in prioritizing risks and determining the necessary security measures to mitigate those risks effectively.

By assessing impact, organizations can quantify how significantly an incident could disrupt operations, lead to financial loss, or affect stakeholders. This perspective allows for a more informed decision-making process regarding resource allocation and risk management strategies in cybersecurity.

Other choices focus on different aspects of risk assessment, such as unauthorized access, frequency of threats, and likelihood of system downtime, but they do not encapsulate the essence of "impact" as it pertains to the consequences of realized threats.