"These three terms are obviously close in nature and so frequently mixed up. I'll start by defining a threat, which is something that we as security analysts are trying to protect against. This can include anything that might exploit a vulnerability, either intentionally or unintentionally, and can destroy or damage an asset, which is something we're trying to protect. A vulnerability, meanwhile, is a weakness in our protection efforts that can be exploited by threats to gain access to an asset. Finally, a risk is the potential loss, damage, or destruction of an asset that occurs because of a threat exploiting a vulnerability."