What is vulnerability

Last updated: 2024-05-18
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Vulnerability is a weak point, weakness, flaw, error, or gap in technology, security environment or in the process, people knowledge, security measures. In general a weakness of an asset or a process. It is a weakness which exposes them to a higher risk of failure or enables or facilitates an attacker's unauthorized access or an attack.

  • vulnerability increases the likelihood of risk
  • vulnerability exposes assets to a higher risk of failure or
  • is exploitable by an attacker who facilitates unauthorized access or attack.

Examples of vulnerabilities

    • An example of a process vulnerability: unrevoked access rights to an application
    • An example of a vulnerability in IT security: missing or weak encryption
    • An example of a vulnerability in physical security: an unlockable entry to a room
    • An example of a vulnerability of person: poor head protection in the workplace
    what is vulnerability

    Why is it important to know your vulnerabilities

    • Vulnerabilities are weak points that you should focus on to eliminate or minimize
    • There are many occupational safety and health vulnerabilities or cybersecurity vulnerabilities
    • Determining the vulnerability of assets is the third step in cybersecurity risk analysis
    • Together with information assets and threats, they help determine risks, are important in their identification and analysis.

    How to name a vulnerability

    Vulnerabilities are some kind of flaws or mistakes, so when naming them, use words like are

    • missing, non-existent...
    • error in ...
    • wrong ...
    • insufficient ...
    • incorrectly installed...

    Examples of the most common vulnerabilities

    • error or defect in technology
    • a bug in the software enabling a cyber attack
    • insufficiently trained worker
    • insufficient protection of the worker's body (protection of the head, hands, body, etc.)
    • insufficient maintenance of equipment and machinery
    • wrong or poorly designed business process
    • missing or weak data encryption
    • lack of security cameras
    • missing locks at doors to the office 
    • unrestricted upload of dangerous files
    • URL Redirection to untrustworthy websites
    • missing, insufficient or weak passwords 
    • missing Website SSL 

    How Aptien can help you manage vulnerabilities