Vuln

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. An informal term for a weakness in software, hardware or a network that an attacker could exploit to gain unauthorized access
2. A security flaw in a program or system, usually a coding error or misconfiguration, that can be abused to compromise it
3. Shorthand used by security professionals for a defect in code or infrastructure that opens the door to intrusion or data theft

Etymology: "Vuln" is a clipping of "vulnerability" and "vulnerable," both built on the Latin "vulnerare," meaning "to wound." That verb comes from "vulnus," a wound. A vulnerable thing is literally one that can be wounded, and the English words keep that sense of exposure to harm. The clipped form keeps only the front of the longer word. It is informal and is most common in computer security, where a "vuln" is a weakness in software or a system that an attacker could exploit.