For detecting emerging risks in various systems and for relating a detected risk to its relative impact on a system or product, a server (10) connected to a communication network (2) receives and stores risk information from geographically distributed computerised data sources (3A, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3G, 3H) via the communication network (2). The received risk information includes an identification of a specific risk, a rating of the specific risk, and information for associating the specific risk with a geographical area (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H). Based on the stored risk information (61) and area attributes (63), such as correlation factors (631) and spreading patterns (632), a specific risk emerging in the first geographical area (A, C, D, E, G, H) and spreading to one or more second geographical areas (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H) is detected. Emerging risks can be detected in geographical areas (B, F) for which no risk information has been received, thus, making it possible to set up, maintain, and operate a risk detection system (1) having a reduced and simplified technical infrastructure because it is not necessary to measure, transmit, and store risk indicators for all geographical areas (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H) for which emerging risks are detected. |