Dictionary · Cybersecurity Fundamentals
Vulnerability
Risk · Beginner
A weakness in software, hardware, configuration, or process that could be used to cause harm if someone has the means and opportunity.
It is the crack in the wall, not the person outside and not the event itself. Patching, configuration, and redesign are ways to remove it.
Example: An outdated library with a known flaw is a vulnerability even on a day when nobody is attacking it.
Common misconception
- Finding a weakness is not the same as saying an incident already occurred.