What type of threat agent can be categorized as a natural disaster?

The correct answer is natural. This category refers specifically to threat agents that arise from natural events, such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and other environmental phenomena. Unlike the others, which involve human actors, natural threats are uncontrollable events that can cause significant disruption or damage to systems and facilities, including those involved in cybersecurity.

The outsider and insider categories involve human behavior, where outsiders typically represent untrusted individuals or entities attempting to breach a system, and insiders are trusted personnel who may compromise the system intentionally or unintentionally. Deliberate actors also involve human agency, focusing on individuals or groups with malicious intent aiming to harm systems or organizations.

By recognizing natural disasters as a distinct category of threat, organizations can formulate specific response and mitigation strategies to integrate into their cybersecurity and risk management plans.