[Cyber Security Terms](/glossary) Cyber Threat [Blog](/blog)[Breaches](/breaches)[Resources](/resources)[News](/news) [Cyber Security Terms](/glossary) # Cyber Threat ##### [Edward Kost](/team/edward-kost) updated Sep 13, 2021 ###### Contents ## What is a Cyber Threat? A [cyber threat](https://www.upguard.com/blog/cyber-threat) is any action or event that could result in an unwanted impact on IT infrastructures. These could include cybercriminals, cyberattacks, security vulnerabilities, and potential attack vectors. The 5 most common cyber threats are: * Social engineering * Ransomware * DDoS attacks * Third-party Software * Cloud technology vulnerabilities  ## How to Address Cyber Threats The impact of cyber threats can be significantly reduced with the right security controls. The following list of controls will address a broad range of threats, giving organizations the highest chances of achieving cyber resilience. * Train staff to recognize common cyber threats and cybercriminal tactics. * Keep all software updated. * Monitor both the internal and external attack surfaces for vulnerabilities. * Use a firewall and keep it updated. * Manage all user access. * Implement multi-factor authentication. Awareness training is the best method of cyber threat mitigation since humans are the weakest links in every security program. The 5 biggest threats to cybersecurity in 2021 include: * Uneducated staff * Phishing attacks * Ransomware * Data leakage * Data breaches * Insider threats ## Key takeaways * Cyber threats include any events that could impact sensitive resources or digital business continuity. * The best method of cyber threat mitigation is awareness training in the workplace. * Organizations should develop a clear incident response to support efficient cyber threat remediation efforts. * * ###### Reviewed by No items found. ###### Author ##### [Edward Kost](/team/edward-kost) ###### Reviewed by ##### [Kaushik Sen](/team/kaushik-sen) ###### Join 27,000+ cybersecurity newsletter subscribers ## Read more about Cyber Threats Learn more about Cyber Threat and the latest issues in cybersecurity. [UpGuard](/blog/cyber-threat-landscape) [What is the Cyber Threat Landscape?](/blog/cyber-threat-landscape) #### [What is the Cyber Threat Landscape?](/blog/cyber-threat-landscape) The threat landscape is the entire scope of potential and recognized cybersecurity threats affecting users, organizations, specific industries, or an era. [](/team/catherine-chipeta) [Catherine Chipeta](#) July 2, 2025 [UpGuard](/blog/what-is-ttp-hunting) [What is TTP Hunting?](/blog/what-is-ttp-hunting) #### [What is TTP Hunting?](/blog/what-is-ttp-hunting) Learn what TTP hunting is and why your organization might need a cyber threat hunting team. 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