A near miss in cybersecurity refers to an incident where a cyberattack or security breach almost occurred but was detected and prevented before any actual harm or data loss took place. These events are critical learning opportunities, as they reveal vulnerabilities or weaknesses in an organization's defenses that could be exploited in the future. By analyzing near misses, organizations can strengthen their security posture, improve incident response plans, and reduce the risk of successful attacks. Near misses are often underreported but are valuable for proactive risk management and continuous improvement in cybersecurity practices.