ResidualRisiko

Residualrisiko, or residual risk, is the risk that remains after an organization has implemented risk controls and mitigation measures. It represents the portion of the initial, inherent risk that could not be eliminated, transferred, or reduced to an acceptable level. The concept is central to risk management, which distinguishes inherent risk, risk treatment, and residual risk.

Residualrisiko is influenced by the effectiveness of controls, their operation, and the presence of uncertainties or unknown factors. It is typically assessed by estimating the remaining likelihood and impact of a threat or vulnerability and comparing it with the organization’s risk appetite and tolerance.

Risk treatment seeks to reduce residual risk to an acceptable level. If residual risk remains above appetite, additional measures or a decision to accept the risk may be required. Monitoring of residualrisiko is usually carried out through risk dashboards, audits, and incident reporting to detect changes in threat landscapes or control performance.

Common contexts include information security, safety-critical operations, financial risk, and project management. For example, encryption and access controls reduce data breach risk, yet residual risk persists due to zero-day exploits, insider threats, or misconfigurations.

Standards such as ISO 31000 and COSO acknowledge residual risk as the risk that remains after applying controls. Effective governance requires documenting residual risk, assigning ownership, and periodically reassessing it as conditions change.