200-201 Question 19
Single answerAn organization has recently experienced a data breach where sensitive customer information was accessed by an unauthorized individual. The security team identified that the attacker exploited weak access controls. Which security term best describes this scenario?
- A
Vulnerability
- B
Threat
- C
Exploit
- D
Risk
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
In this scenario, the attacker exploited weak access controls to gain unauthorized access to sensitive customer data. The term 'exploit' specifically refers to the act of taking advantage of a vulnerability, which accurately describes the situation. While vulnerabilities, threats, and risks are related concepts, they do not describe the specific action of leveraging a vulnerability, which is why 'exploit' is the correct answer.
- A. Incorrect.
A vulnerability refers to a weakness or flaw in a system that can be exploited, but by itself, it does not describe the attack or the act of taking advantage of the weakness.
- B. Incorrect.
A threat is a potential danger that could exploit a vulnerability, but it does not refer to the actual act of exploiting the vulnerability.
- C. Correct.
An exploit refers to the act of taking advantage of a vulnerability to compromise security, which is what occurred in this scenario when the attacker exploited weak access controls.
- D. Incorrect.
Risk refers to the potential impact if a vulnerability is exploited, but it does not describe the actual exploitation of a weakness.