What is a cybersecurity incident?

A cybersecurity incident is defined as any event that compromises the integrity, confidentiality, or availability of information or an information system. This encompasses a wide range of scenarios, including unauthorized access, data breaches, malware attacks, and denial of service attacks. When the integrity of a system is compromised, it means that the system's normal operations and trustworthiness have been threatened, which can have serious implications for security and data protection.

Events that fall under this definition can lead to significant risks like data loss, financial loss, and reputational damage to individuals and organizations. Recognizing the broad nature of what constitutes an incident is essential for effective incident response and management in cybersecurity.

In contrast, the other choices focus on specific issues or events that do not encompass the full scope of a cybersecurity incident. For example, an unexpected loss of data may indicate an incident but does not necessarily define it, as not all data loss results from malicious actions. A failure of network devices can disrupt services but might not directly relate to a cybersecurity threat. Scheduled network maintenance is a planned activity that should not compromise system security and hence does not fit the definition of a cybersecurity incident at all.