Which of the following is a common consequence of a cyberattack?

• A. Increased profits
• B. Stable operations
• C. Reputation damage
• D. Strong customer trust

Answer: (C)

When a cyberattack occurs, the impact on people’s confidence and how the business is viewed becomes a major issue. A common consequence is reputation damage because breaches and outages shake customers’ trust in the organization’s ability to protect data and keep services reliable. This loss of trust can lead to customers switching to competitors, damaged brand value, negative media attention, and increased scrutiny from regulators, all of which can have lasting effects on the business.

The other options don’t fit as well. An attack generally doesn’t increase profits; costs from remediation, downtime, and potential penalties typically reduce profitability. Stable operations are also unlikely, since cyberattacks often disrupt systems, slow performance, or halt services. And customer trust is usually weakened, not strengthened, in the wake of a breach, requiring effort and time to rebuild.