Definition
Mitigations are actions taken to reduce the likelihood or impact of a negative event, such as a security breach or system failure. They serve as safeguards designed to lessen potential harm or prevent undesirable outcomes from occurring. In practice, mitigations are implemented through various controls, policies, and procedures that fortify systems and processes against threats. Understanding and applying mitigations is crucial for maintaining operational resilience and protecting sensitive data. For instance, implementing multi-factor authentication is a mitigation against unauthorized access. Mitigations differ from risk acceptance, which involves acknowledging a risk without taking action to reduce it. This concept is fundamental across cybersecurity certifications like CompTIA Security+ and CySA+.