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risk Definition

risk (risk)

noun

  1. the chance of injury, damage, or loss; dangerous chance; hazard
  2. Insurance
    1. the chance of loss
    2. the degree of probability of loss
    3. the amount of possible loss to the insuring company
    4. a person or thing with reference to the risk involved in providing insurance
    5. the type of loss that a policy covers, as fire, storm, etc.

Etymology: Fr risque < It risco, risico < risicare, to risk < VL *risicare

transitive verb

  1. to expose to the chance of injury, damage, or loss; hazard to risk one's life
  2. to incur the risk of to risk a fight

Etymology: Fr risquer

risk Related Forms

risk′er noun

risk Idioms

at risk

in danger of damage, injury, loss, etc.

risk Synonyms

risk

n.

  1. Danger

    hazard, peril, jeopardy; see danger.

  2. The basis of a chance

    chance, gamble, venture, good risk, fortuity, contingency, opportunity, prospect; see also chance 1, uncertainty 3. See syn. study at danger.

run a risk

take a chance, gamble, venture; see chance 2, risk.

risk Synonyms

risk

v.

chance, gamble, gamble on, venture, hazard, imperil, endanger, jeopardize, run the risk, take a chance, trust to chance, do at one's own peril, expose oneself to, lay oneself open to, stick one's neck out, take the liberty, defy danger, speculate, make an investment, hang by a thread, play with fire, carry too much sail, go out of one's depth, beard the lion in his den, bell the cat, double the blind, sit on a barrel of gunpowder, go through fire and water, leap before one looks, take a leap in the dark, throw caution to the wind, fish in troubled waters, skate on thin ice, sleep on a volcano, live in a glass house, go to sea in a sieve, sail too near the wind, buck the tiger; see also chance 2.

risk Finance Definition

The possibility that a negative event will occur, such as the value of investments declining below what was paid for them or investments losing all value. Investors attempt to minimize risk through diversification.

risk Law Definition

n

  1. Peril, danger, the chance of loss or injury.
  2. Liability for injury, loss, or damage, by statute placed upon the manufacturer rather than the consumer, should it happen from normal use of a product.

Risk Hacker Definition

In security, its assessment is an attempt to assess or measure the likelihood that a cracker will successfully exploit system or network vulnerabilities. In its 2004 Global Security Survey, Deloitte reported that 83% of respondents confirmed that their companies’ systems had been exploited in some way in 2003—and the percentage is likely higher because of respondent underreporting. These compromised systems cost companies money. For example, in 2002, NetworkITWeek in the United Kingdom noted that KMPG consultants estimated that security breaches cost businesses an average of $108,000.

The underlying principle behind risk assessment considers three critical elements: assets, threats, and vulnerabilities. Assets include tangible items having value, such as computer systems, as well as intangible items having value, such as the company’s reputation. Thus, a primary step in risk assessment is to determine the items of value and their approximate value amounts—just as homeowners would determine their items of value and their approximate value amounts in order to buy the appropriate amount of insurance.

Threats are defined as the means that could be used by crackers or company insiders to compromise the company’s computer systems. An action plan and appropriate security devices should be employed to counter these threats.

Vulnerability assessment indicates the likelihood that an exploit could occur, including where in the system and how. Questions that typically need answering include, for example, the following: Are passwords produced properly and amended regularly? Are systems locked-down and are networks adequately secured?

A major challenge facing system administrators is to consider the threats to which valued company assets are vulnerable and determine what security efforts are required—and in what priority—to not only stop possible exploits from occurring but also to be able to quickly and effectively recover from these exploits should they occur.

See Also: Administrator; Cracking; CSI/FBI Survey; Exploit; Vulnerabilities of Computers.

McLean, D. Companies Neglect IT Security At Their Peril. The Globe and Mail, May 12, 2005, p. B9; Schell, B.H. and Martin, C. Contemporary World Issues Series: Cybercrime: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2004.

risk Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • reduce: A drug called warfarin is also commonly advised to reduce the risk of having a stroke.
  • minimize: We need to take more steps to minimize any risk of harm, ' Fletcher said.
  • pose: Safe means that it must not pose a risk of injury or death to people or domestic animals or of damage to property.
  • associate: The leaflet, Avoiding Multiple Births - deciding how many embryos to transfer, informs patients about the risks associated with multiple births.
  • assess: Risk management: How to assess risks, how to reduce risk, how to manage risk.
  • manage: Manage risk within the e commerce context in order to minimize the impact of problems that emerge.

Adjective modifier

  • increased: The main complication of AF is an increased risk of having a stroke.
  • relative: But as all of you who work in the system will know, the dominant focus is on relative returns and relative risks.
  • potential: In contrast to this, Turkey is playing down the potential risk.
  • high: Being at high risk is a latent stage of coronary heart disease.

Modifies a noun

  • assessment: Our Office Hazards package on our website offers good general advice on carrying out risk assessments.
  • factor: Risk factors are: heart failure, diabetes, high blood pressure, a previous history of blood clots.
  • management: Risk management: How to assess risks, how to reduce risk, how to manage risk.

Noun used with modifier

flood: The ABI welcomes the Government's continued commitment to managing flood risk, which has enabled the industry to make this commitment.

Preposition: of

  • cancer: Also, in the long term, sun exposure is known to increase the risk of skin cancer.
  • infection: All patients who may have been at risk of infection should receive letters today, asking them to call a special confidential helpline.
  • harm: We need to take more steps to minimize any risk of harm, ' Fletcher said.
  • injury: Safe means that it must not pose a risk of injury or death to people or domestic animals or of damage to property.
  • disease: Obesity seems to increase the risk of advanced liver disease in heavy drinkers.

Preposition: from

flooding: Remember your home could be at risk from flooding.