Vulnerabilities

Within the Resource Development phase, adversaries might exploit vulnerabilities as a means to Obtain Capabilities for subsequent attack operations. This involves identifying or acquiring code that takes advantage of security weaknesses in systems, applications, or services. Adversaries typically leverage these vulnerabilities to establish initial access, elevate privileges, or persist within target environments. They may discover vulnerabilities through independent research, purchase exploit code from underground markets, or repurpose publicly disclosed proof-of-concept exploits. These capabilities could target known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs), zero-day vulnerabilities with no available patches, or security misconfigurations that create exploitable conditions. The acquisition of vulnerability exploits represents a critical preparatory step that enables adversaries to develop a technical advantage before engaging with target systems, significantly enhancing their ability to breach defenses during later attack phases.