Understanding Vulnerabilities and Their Implications

A vulnerability refers to a weakness or flaw that can potentially be exploited to cause harm. It is essential to recognize that vulnerabilities alone do not account for existing mitigations that may lessen their impact. For instance, a weak password on an admin account could be deemed a vulnerability; however, if that account is protected by multi-factor authentication (MFA), the risk is substantially mitigated. Therefore, understanding the context around a vulnerability is crucial for evaluating its actual risk and severity.