Module 2~9 min
Understanding Threats and Vulnerabilities
Security conversations often use the terms "threat" and "vulnerability" -- and it's important to understand how they differ.
What You'll Learn
- What a threat is
- What a vulnerability is
- How the two relate to each other
Threats
A threat is anything with the potential to cause harm to a system -- this could be a person, a piece of malicious software, or even a natural event like a power outage.
Vulnerabilities
A vulnerability is a weakness that a threat could take advantage of. A threat becomes dangerous specifically when it can exploit an existing vulnerability.
Example
Outdated software with a known weakness is a vulnerability; someone who might try to take advantage of that weakness is the threat.
Key Concepts
ThreatVulnerabilityExploit
Key Takeaways
- A threat is anything with the potential to cause harm
- A vulnerability is a weakness a threat could take advantage of
- Risk increases when a real threat can reach an existing vulnerability
Knowledge Check
What is a vulnerability?