A cyber threat is any potential event or action that can negatively impact systems, networks, or data. Threats may be intentional or accidental, internal or external, and vary widely in sophistication.

Intentional threats include cybercriminals seeking financial gain, hacktivists motivated by ideology, or nation-state actors conducting espionage. Accidental threats may involve human error, poor configuration, or outdated software.

It is important to distinguish between threats and security controls. Activities such as installing updates or performing backups are defensive actions, not threats. Understanding this distinction is critical for proper risk management.