Business operations are the everyday processes that keep an organization running, such as communications, approvals, customer support, file sharing, billing, and internal coordination. In cybersecurity, this matters because attackers rarely target technology in isolation; they look for the workflows the business depends on most. If they can interrupt those workflows, they can slow the organization down, steal information, or pressure victims into paying a ransom.
When collaboration platforms become central to business operations, they also become valuable attack targets. A compromised account, overly broad permission, or unsafe file-sharing rule can expose sensitive data or let an attacker impersonate a trusted user. Defenders protect business operations by identifying critical workflows, limiting access, enforcing strong authentication, reviewing permissions, and monitoring for unusual activity. The goal is to keep the business running even when a system or account is under attack.