Software System Security Exploit
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A Software System Security Exploit is a software program that is a security exploit (that exploits a computing vulnerability).
- Context:
- It can (often) exploit vulnerabilities in operating systems, applications, or network protocols to gain unauthorized access or execute malicious code.
- It can (often) lead to severe consequences, such as Denial-of-Service Attacks, Privilege Escalation, or the exposure of sensitive data.
- ...
- It can target various systems, from web applications to embedded systems, and range in complexity from simple command injections to sophisticated, multi-stage exploits.
- It can leverage zero-day vulnerabilities, which are previously unknown weaknesses in software that attackers exploit before developers can issue a patch or fix.
- It can involve techniques like Buffer Overflow, SQL Injection, or Cross-Site Scripting to manipulate the normal operations of software.
- ...
- Example(s):
- Prompt Injection Attacks, which manipulate large language models to produce unintended outputs by embedding malicious prompts.
- Buffer Overflow Exploits where an attacker sends more data to a buffer than it can handle, allowing them to overwrite memory and execute arbitrary code.
- SQL Injection Attacks where malicious SQL statements are inserted into an entry field, manipulating the database behind a web application.
- ...
- Counter-Example(s):
- Software Bugs that cause errors or crashes due to faulty code but do not involve malicious exploitation.
- System Misconfigurations, which might leave a system vulnerable but are not direct exploits themselves.
- See: Denial-of-Service Attack, Software Bug, Privilege Escalation, Zero-Day Vulnerability, SQL Injection Attack
References
2023
- (Wikipedia, 2023) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/exploit_(computer_security) Retrieved:2023-7-10.
- An exploit (from the English verb to exploit, meaning "to use something to one’s own advantage") is a piece of software, a chunk of data, or a sequence of commands that takes advantage of a bug or vulnerability to cause unintended or unanticipated behavior to occur on computer software, hardware, or something electronic (usually computerized). Such behavior frequently includes things like gaining control of a computer system, allowing privilege escalation, or a denial-of-service (DoS or related DDoS) attack. In lay terms, some exploit is akin to a 'hack'.