Security Terms and Definitions

---

Assets and Attackers

Asset refers to any resource to protect.

• include hardware, software, and data

Adversary is any entity that attacks or that is a potential threat to a system.

• aka threat actor/agent or attacker

A threat vector is a specific path by which a threat actor gains unauthorized access to a system or perform an attack.

Link to original

Circular transclusion detected: notes/Threat-Vectors

Vulnerabilities Threats and Risk

The attack surface is the set of all vulnerability points that a malicious threat actor could exploit in an asset, system, or network.

Link to original

A threat is something that has the potential to cause harm to an information system.

Link to original

Circular transclusion detected: notes/Threats,-Vulnerabilities,-Risk,-and-Impact

Circular transclusion detected: notes/Threats,-Vulnerabilities,-Risk,-and-Impact

Relationships Between Security Terms