Cyberattack vs cyberthreat: the confusion holding back enterprise cybersecurity maturity

In our daily work with companies across different industries, we often see that digital risks are not always understood or managed in the same way. Frequently, the issue lies in how those risks are named and explained. The language we use shapes how risks are perceived, prioritised and addressed.

A common confusion is to use cyberattack and cyberthreat as if they were interchangeable, even synonymous. They are not, and understanding the difference is essential to properly embed cybersecurity within a company’s overall strategy.

When these concepts are blurred, decisions tend to focus on immediate symptoms instead of the underlying dynamics.

Cyberattack: when the risk has already materialised

A cyberattack is a real, observable event in which a malicious actor carries out a technical action that impacts systems, data or services. It means that the risk has already materialised and the organisation is now facing operational, financial or reputational consequences that require immediate detection, containment and response.

From a defensive standpoint, cyberattacks are addressed through incident detection and response. By that point, the room for prevention is limited.

The focus is no longer on avoiding the problem, but on containing it, minimising damage, shortening exposure time and preventing its spread. It’s a critical and necessary function, but one that only activates after the risk has become real.

Responding only after the attack usually means reacting too late.

Cyberthreat: the risk before the incident

A cyberthreat refers to a risk that exists before any actual attack occurs. It arises when a capable actor, a plausible intent, and a vulnerable surface converge. Threats can remain dormant for long periods without causing any visible incidents, yet they carry a real probability of materialising if not properly managed.

A cyberthreat can remain hidden for months or even years without any visible activity.

In essence, a cyberthreat is not a realised event, but a risk scenario. From this perspective, an unresolved known vulnerability, a detected phishing campaign, activity from specific threat groups in a geopolitical context, or regulatory changes that open fraud opportunities, all constitute cyberthreats. No incident has occurred yet, but there’s a real chance it could.

Managing attacks is not the same as managing threats

While both approaches are essential, they require different capabilities and follow different logic.

• Managing a cyberattack means reacting quickly, coordinating teams, and containing an incident that has already happened.
  
  —The focus is on immediate execution and impact reduction.
• Managing cyberthreats involves analysis, context and anticipation. It means working proactively before any incident occurs, identifying risky patterns and systematically reducing the likelihood of an attack.
  
  —This approach relies not only on technical controls but also on deeper, less visible structural decisions.

■ Some of these less visible, more structural decisions that make the difference include designing resilient architectures, segmenting networks, strengthening identity management, vulnerability assessment, applying cyber intelligence and the principle of least privilege, training employees, and prioritising security measures based on business needs and context, not just technical severity.

From tactical to strategic: how the cybersecurity approach evolves

This distinction represents a fundamental shift in how cybersecurity is understood. It’s not just about different operational levels, it’s about applying different mindsets.

• The cyberattack belongs to the tactical domain: it is specific, immediate and demands action under pressure.
  
  —It requires detection and response capabilities to contain the incident, minimise impact, and prevent escalation. In those moments, priorities are clear: act fast and precisely.
• The cyberthreat operates in the strategic domain: it’s not a one-time event, but a dynamic that evolves with the business, the environment and adversarial activity.
  
  —It demands continuous analysis, contextual awareness and decisions aligned with a medium-to-long-term vision, aimed at reducing the likelihood of attacks occurring in the first place.

■ Distinguishing between these two domains is the foundation for moving towards more mature security models that balance incident urgency with risk anticipation.

The cyberattack is the visible symptom; the cyberthreat is the underlying dynamic that enables it.

Why confusing cyberattack and cyberthreat hinders security maturity

It’s common that, when these two layers are confused, reaction tends to be prioritised over anticipation, with heavy investment in detection and response, and less in understanding risk itself.

The outcome is a reactive cybersecurity model, effective in dealing with an immediate incident when it happens, but less mature in sustainably reducing risk, or preventing that incident from occurring or recurring. This confusion limits the ability to evolve towards more strategic, proactive models.

Integrating threat management into your security strategy allows you to anticipate, prioritise and reduce risks.

Threat management, when embedded into the overall security strategy, helps anticipate, prioritise and reduce risks. This vision requires specific capabilities: cross-environment visibility, behavioural analysis, threat intelligence, AI and automation, and specialised talent capable of navigating complexity and translating scattered signals into decisions before an incident takes place.

This is the real challenge facing many companies today: shifting from incident response to operating security from a place of anticipation. It’s a necessary leap, especially considering that while attackers are already scaling operations with AI and Generative AI, over 90% of SOCs still rely on manual processes, according to Unit 42.

■ Closing this gap through automation is the starting point for bringing the SOC of the future to life. Check out the whitepaper The SOC of the future: how AI and automation are redefining cybersecurity.