Vulnerability
Vulnerability: Weakness in an information system, system security procedures, internal controls, or implementation that could be exploited or triggered by a…
Definition
Weakness in an information system, system security procedures, internal controls, or implementation that could be exploited or triggered by a threat source.
Alternative Definitions
- Definition 2
Weakness in an information system, system security procedures, internal controls, or implementation that could be exploited by a threat source.
- Definition 3
A loophole or bug in hardware or software through which attackers can access a system.
- Definition 4
A weakness in a system, application, or network that is subject to exploitation or misuse. SOURCE: SP 800-61
- Definition 5
An exploitable flaw that can undermine a system’s security. (This term is often used to describe the overall strategic perception of susceptibility to a given threat actor. It should only be used to describe a cyber-system issue.) Zero Day (noun) or Zero-Day (modifier) A cyber capability that relies on a vulnerability in the design or implementation of a system and can be used to violate its security. Neither the system designers, cyber security community, or general public are aware of the vulnerability.
- Definition 6
A defect in a computer system (software or hardware) that weakens the security guarantees about that computer system. A Vulnerability does not necessarily provide an attacker a way of controlling the system or seeing what it is doing, but it leaves open “vectors of attack” through which flaws might potentially be exploited. Finding vulnerabilities in both software and hardware is common.