Vulnerability Databases
A vulnerability in cybersecurity is defined as a weakness or flaw in the design, implementation or behaviours of a system or application. An attacker can exploit these weaknesses to gain access to unauthorised information or perform unauthorised actions. The term “vulnerability” has many definitions by cybersecurity bodies. However, there is minimal variation between them all.
For example, NIST defines a vulnerability as “weakness in an information system, system security procedures, internal controls, or implementation that could be exploited or triggered by a threat source”.
Vulnerabilities can originate from many factors, including a poor design of an application or an oversight of the intended actions from a user.
We will come on to discuss the various types of vulnerabilities in a later room. However, for now, we should know that there are arguably five main categories of vulnerabilities:
| Vulnerability | Description |
|---|---|
| Operating System | These types of vulnerabilities are found within Operating Systems (OSs) and often result in privilege escalation. |
| (Mis)Configuration-based | These types of vulnerability stem from an incorrectly configured application or service. For example, a website exposing customer details. |
| Weak or Default Credentials | Applications and services that have an element of authentication will come with default credentials when installed. For example, an administrator dashboard may have the username and password of “admin”. These are easy to guess by an attacker. |
| Application Logic | These vulnerabilities are a result of poorly designed applications. For example, poorly implemented authentication mechanisms that may result in an attacker being able to impersonate a user. |
| Human-Factor | Human-Factor vulnerabilities are vulnerabilities that leverage human behaviour. For example, phishing emails are designed to trick humans into believing they are legitimate. |