What is the difference between threat, vulnerability and risk?

A threat is any potential danger or adverse event that could exploit a vulnerability and cause harm. It represents something that could exploit a weakness, such as a hacker, malware, or natural disaster.

A vulnerability is a weakness or gap in a system's defenses that could be exploited by a threat. It represents the susceptibility of a system to threats, such as outdated software, misconfigured settings, or weak passwords.

Risk is the likelihood that a threat will exploit a vulnerability and the potential impact of that exploitation.