Risk Assessment
What is Risk Assessment?
A systematic process of identifying what could go wrong (threats), how likely it is (probability), and how bad it would be (impact). A cybersecurity risk assessment helps you prioritize which security controls to implement first based on your specific business context — not every business faces the same risks. Our free assessment is built around this principle.
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Why this matters for Canadian businesses
Understanding Risk Assessment is part of building a security programme that meets the 13 Baseline Cyber Security Controls published by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (ITSM.10.089) — the Government of Canada's recommended minimum standard for small and medium organizations. You can measure your organization against all 13 controls with our free cybersecurity assessment.
For the wider picture on how Canadian small and medium businesses are performing, see The Cybersecurity Canada Report 2026, our annual benchmark of incident rates, breach costs, and regulation affecting Canadian organizations.
Cite This Page
Suggested citation:
Cybersecurity Canada (2026). Risk Assessment. Retrieved from https://cybersecuritycanada.ca/glossary/risk-assessment/
Permanent URL: https://cybersecuritycanada.ca/glossary/risk-assessment/
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is for general educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional cybersecurity, legal, IT, compliance, or risk management advice. All content, including assessment results, scores, grades, and recommendations, is provided on a best-effort, "as is" basis without warranties of any kind. We expressly disclaim liability for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies. Organizations should consult with qualified cybersecurity professionals and legal counsel to assess their specific situation. Use of this website or the assessment tool does not create a professional-client relationship. See our Terms of Use for full details.
Cybersecurity Canada is an independent resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, the Communications Security Establishment, or the Government of Canada.
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