Security metrics are used to measure the effectiveness of controls and evaluate the overall security posture of an organization. This feedback provides an understanding of the progress made towards achieving security objectives and allows organizations to make necessary adjustments.

The severity hierarchy for information security incident classification should be based on the potential or actual impact of the incident on the business objectives, operations, reputation, and stakeholders. The adverse effects on the business can be measured by criteria such as financial loss, operational disruption, legal liability, regulatory compliance, customer satisfaction, and public confidence. The other options are not the primary basis for a severity hierarchy, although they may be considered as secondary factors or consequences of an incident