What is the primary goal of risk management in network security?

The primary goal of risk management in network security is to identify, assess, and mitigate risks to data and systems. This involves systematically understanding potential threats and vulnerabilities that could impact the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information and technology assets.

By identifying risks, organizations can prioritize which vulnerabilities to address first based on their potential impact. The assessment process involves evaluating the likelihood of risks occurring and their potential consequences. Once risks are assessed, mitigation strategies can be developed to reduce the potential impact of those risks to acceptable levels. This comprehensive approach helps organizations protect sensitive data and maintain operational continuity in the face of security threats.

Other options, such as minimizing hardware costs or enhancing network speed, may be ancillary benefits resulting from effective risk management, but they do not capture the overarching goal of securing the network and its data against identified threats. Similarly, while developing user policies is essential for enforcing security measures, the primary function of risk management is focused on the overall analysis and handling of potential security risks themselves.