Network Vulnerability
Last updated
Last updated
A Network Vulnerability is a weakness or flaw in software, hardware, or organizational processes, which when compromised by a threat, can result in a security breach.
Nonphysical network vulnerabilities typically involve software or data. For example, an operating system (OS) might be vulnerable to network attacks if it’s not updated with the latest security patches. If left unpatched a virus could infect the OS, the host that it’s located on, and potentially the entire network.
Physical network vulnerabilities involve the physical protection of an asset such as locking a server in a rack closet or securing an entry point with a turnstile.
Network vulnerabilities come in many forms but the most common types are:
Malware, short for malicious software, such as Trojans, viruses, and worms that are installed on a user’s machine or a host server.
Social engineering attacks that fool users into giving up personal information such as a username or password.
Outdated or unpatched software that exposes the systems running the application and potentially the entire network.
Misconfigured firewalls / operating systems that allow or have default policies enabled.
It’s important that your network security team address these factors when assessing the overall security posture of your systems.
When left unchecked, these vulnerabilities can lead to more advanced attacks such as a DDoS (distributed denial of services) attack, which can bring a network down to a crawl or prevent users from accessing it altogether.
