Which factor is multiplied by vulnerability and consequence to assess risk?

The correct answer is that the factor multiplied by vulnerability and consequence to assess risk is the threat. In risk assessment, the calculation typically involves three primary components: vulnerability, consequence, and threat.

Vulnerability represents the weaknesses in a system that could be exploited. Consequence is the potential impact or damage caused by an incident if it occurs. Threat, on the other hand, refers to any potential event or action that could exploit the vulnerability and lead to consequences.

By multiplying vulnerability and consequence by the threat, you can derive the overall risk associated with a given scenario. This understanding is crucial because it emphasizes the dynamic nature of risk, where simply having vulnerabilities and consequences is not enough; the potential for a threat to exploit that situation must also be considered in order to accurately assess risk.

The other options, while relevant to discussions about risk, do not perform the necessary role in this particular calculation. Impact, which relates closely but is not a direct factor in this formula, instead describes the effect of an event rather than contributing to the assessment framework. Probability might refer to the likelihood of a threat occurring, but it is not included in the primary formula where threat directly correlates with the assessment of risk alongside vulnerability and consequence. Exposure indicates the extent to