Economic rights are claims to receive value, income, dividends, proceeds, or other financial benefits. In tokenized systems, they may be represented by a digital token or linked record that points to an off-chain contract, share, or asset. The token itself is not always the right; it is often the technical pointer to the right.
They matter in cyber security because attackers often target the systems that control those claims. A stolen wallet key, compromised account, malicious smart contract, or forged authorization can redirect payments, freeze benefits, or transfer tokens that embody financial value. Defenses focus on strong identity controls, secure key management, code review, permission checks, and legal mappings that clearly define what the digital asset does. In real operations, the key question is whether the software, the contract, and the governing rules all agree on who may receive the economic benefit.