What is the primary risk associated with exposure of sensitive information?

• A. System performance degradation
• B. Increased user access
• C. Unauthorized access to confidential data
• D. Malware infection

Answer: (C)

The primary risk associated with exposure of sensitive information is unauthorized access to confidential data. When sensitive information is compromised or exposed, it can be accessed by individuals or entities who should not have permission to view or use that data. This can lead to various adverse consequences, including identity theft, financial fraud, and breaches of privacy, among others.

Unauthorized access affects not only individuals whose data has been exposed but also organizations that hold that data. It can undermine customer trust, lead to regulatory penalties, and result in financial losses due to fraud and the costs associated with incident response and remediation.

The other options, while they represent various risks or consequences in the realm of information security, do not directly align with the concept of exposure of sensitive information. System performance degradation concerns issues related to software or hardware efficiency rather than data privacy. Increased user access refers to the expansion of permitted access, which isn't a direct outcome of data exposure. Malware infection is a separate threat related to malicious software that can compromise systems but is not specifically tied to the exposure of sensitive information itself.