In terms of cybersecurity, what is the consequence of a successful exploitation?

The consequence of a successful exploitation in cybersecurity is primarily unauthorized access to sensitive data. When an attacker successfully exploits a vulnerability in a system, they often gain the ability to access data that they should not have access to, such as personal information, financial records, or proprietary business data. This unauthorized access can lead to data breaches, identity theft, and significant harm to individuals or organizations, both financially and reputationally.

The other choices do not accurately reflect the typical outcomes of a successful exploitation. For instance, systems do not usually remain unchanged in functionality after a successful attack; rather, they are often compromised or altered in detrimental ways. Additionally, a successful exploitation would not lead to increased user trust; in fact, it typically results in diminished user confidence in the system's security. Lastly, improved system speed is not a consequence of exploitation; generally, compromised systems may experience performance degradation due to the presence of malicious software or unauthorized activities consuming resources.