The FREE Cybersecurity Glossary by Thor Pedersen!

Volatile data: Information stored in memory that is lost when the computer is turned off or loses power. Volatile data includes information in a system's RAM and cache, which is crucial for forensic investigations as it contains temporary files and may hold evidence about running processes and system state.

Vulnerability: A weakness or flaw in a system that can be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access or cause damage. These vulnerabilities can stem from a variety of sources, including software bugs, hardware defects, configuration errors, or poor security practices, and pose a potential risk to the system's security and integrity.

Vulnerability analysis: The process of identifying and evaluating weaknesses in a system. This process involves a detailed examination of the system's components, configurations, and security measures to identify potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by threat actors. It provides insights into the system's security posture and guides the development of remediation strategies to strengthen the system's defenses.

Vulnerability assessment: A systematic examination of a system's security flaws. It involves identifying, quantifying, and prioritizing (or ranking) the vulnerabilities in a system to provide a comprehensive understanding of the system's security weaknesses, which can then be addressed to improve overall security.

Vulnerability-based risk perspective: A vulnerability-based risk perspective is a viewpoint that focuses on identifying and analyzing system vulnerabilities as a measure of risk. Instead of primarily considering the potential threats, it concentrates on the system's inherent weaknesses and the potential damage if these vulnerabilities were to be exploited.

Vulnerability event: An occurrence where a system's vulnerability is exploited by a threat actor. This event can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, or even system damage. Monitoring and detecting these events is crucial in timely incident response and mitigation of potential damage.