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CompTIA Security+ 2.3 CompTIA Security+ 4.3
InteractiveSecurityFree

Where Is This Flaw in Its Life Cycle?

Zero-day, patch released, or patch deployed? Read what is known about each flaw and place it in its life cycle.

⚑ Complete this interactive to capture a CTF flag worth 5 points.

About this interactive

What you are doing: deciding where each flaw stands in its life cycle. The lesson follows one flaw. Software is released with a defect nobody has reported, and the vendor has had zero days to fix it: a zero-day. Then it is discovered and put on lists, such as the CVE list and the Exploit Database, where defenders and attackers alike can read about it. The vendor writes a patch and releases it. Last, you deploy that patch to your own systems. Three questions place a card. Does the vendor know about the flaw yet? If not, it is a zero-day. Has the vendor released a patch, and is it on this system? Released but not installed is the dangerous window the lesson warns about: the flaw is public and the fix is waiting. Installed means the patch is deployed. How to use it: look for who knows about the flaw and whether the fix has reached the system in the card.

What you'll learn

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+
2.3 Explain various types of vulnerabilities.
4.3 Explain various activities associated with vulnerability management.

Key terms

Zero-Day
A vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor and has no available patch at the time of exploitation.
Vulnerability
A weakness in a system, application, or process that can be exploited by a threat actor.
Patch Management
The process of acquiring, testing, and installing software updates to fix vulnerabilities and improve functionality.
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures is a publicly maintained dictionary that assigns unique identifiers to known software and hardware vulnerabilities, providing a common reference point for vulnerability tracking, disclosure, and remediation.
Exploit Database
A publicly accessible archive that catalogs known exploits and vulnerable software, used by security professionals and researchers to identify and understand security weaknesses.

Topics

Zero Day Vulnerability Patch Management Common Vulnerabilities And Exposures Exploit Database Interactive Categorize

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