The term described as the set of actions taken, scaled to the level of threat is best captured by which term?

• A. Proportionality
• B. Measures
• C. Adaptation
• D. Mitigation

Answer: (B)

Actions taken in response to a threat, scaled to how severe the threat is, are called measures. This term captures the whole set of steps put in place to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from an incident, with the intensity or number of actions increasing as the threat level rises. Proportionality describes the relationship between the response and the threat—whether the reaction matches the risk—but it’s about balance rather than naming the collection of actions itself. Adaptation is about adjusting to changing conditions over time, which is broader than a threat-specific package of responses. Mitigation focuses on reducing the likelihood or impact of the threat, often in the long term, rather than the immediate suite of actions chosen for a given threat level.