A bond is a financial guarantee attached to a contract. If the contractor fails to meet the agreed terms, the bond can be forfeited or used to cover losses. In cybersecurity, bonds may appear in procurement and service agreements for incident response, managed security, or offensive and defensive operations.
Bonds matter because cyber work often depends on trust, deadlines, and handling sensitive access. A forfeitable bond does not stop malware, phishing, or intrusions directly, but it can enforce discipline around performance and compliance. For defenders, it is a governance control: it raises the cost of noncompliance, encourages careful execution, and gives the buyer leverage if a vendor does not deliver the required security work.