Exploit

An exploit is a piece of code, technique, or method that takes advantage of a vulnerability to cause unintended behavior in a system — typically to gain unauthorized access, escalate privileges, or execute malicious code. Exploits are the 'how' of an attack: the vulnerability is the weakness, the exploit is the tool or technique used to take advantage of it.

Exploits range from simple scripts to sophisticated multi-stage attack chains. They can target software bugs, configuration errors, or design flaws. Once a vulnerability is discovered and an exploit is developed, the window for defenders to patch before attackers strike begins — making timely patch management critical.