Types of Threats

Types of Threats

Threats can be broadly categorized into two main classifications: Human-caused threats and Natural-caused threats.

Human-Caused Threats: These threats originate from deliberate actions, errors, or activities conducted by individuals, organization, groups. They include:

• Malicious Threats: These threats are intentionally harmful and are designed to compromise or damage computer systems, data, or networks. Examples include viruses, worms, ransomware, or phishing attacks carried out with malicious intent.
• Non-Malicious Threats: These threats are usually accidental, unintentional or unintended in nature. They might result from human errors, system failures, software bugs, or environmental factors, causing disruptions or vulnerabilities without malicious intent.

Natural-Caused Threats: These threats arise from environmental or naturally occurring events and are beyond human control. They include:

• Natural Disasters: Events like earthquakes, floods, fires, hurricanes, or storms that can damage physical infrastructure, disrupt services, or cause data loss.
• Environmental Hazards: Factors like power outages, extreme temperatures, or electromagnetic interference that can affect the operational continuity of computer systems and data centers.

1. Understanding these classifications helps in identifying and assessing different types of threats, enabling the implementation of appropriate security measures to mitigate their impact on computer systems and data.