Discussion Assignment on Vulnerability, Threat and Risk

Discussion on Vulnerability, Threat and Risk
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Discussion on Vulnerability, Threat and Risk
Question One
A threat is something with the ability to exploit a vulnerability, intentionally or accidentally, and result to damage, or destruction of an asset. One ensures that their property is protected against the threats. They can be natural, for example earthquakes, human threats which are mostly unintentional and environmental ones, for instance, pollution. Vulnerability entails a weaknesses or gaps in a security program which can be destroyed by threats to gain unsanctioned access to an asset. Also, it involves limitation or gap in our protection efforts. An example is Susceptibility to physical or emotional injury. Risks entail the potential for loss, damage or destruction of an asset as a result of a threat exploiting a vulnerability. A risk is the intersection of threats and vulnerabilities. The risk is a function of threats exploiting vulnerabilities to obtain, damage or destroy assets. Thus, threats whether actual, conceptual, or inherent may exist, but if there are no vulnerabilities, then there is little or no risk at all. Similarly, one can have a vulnerability, but if they have no threat, then they have little or no chance for risk at all (Choi, Robles, Hong, & Kim, 2008).
Question Two
Zero day exploit entails unknown exploitation in the world that exposes a vulnerability in software or hardware and can create complicated problems well before one realizes. It happens when cyber criminals launch threats to abuse the flaw before the vendor releases a patch for it. When these kinds of flaws are abused can be more efficient for cyber criminals as most users are still exposed. The zero-day exploit can be used as a facilitation of cybercrime, cyber espionage and cyber terrorism since these processes are done deliberately by the people to affect computer operations without the consent of the user. The user is, therefore, unable to protect the computer and before he protects it, damages will have already been caused (Spacey, 2011).
Question Three
The traditional crimes and cyber crimes can be directed at the same targets when the comparison is made. For example, in physical robbing, the money is stolen by physical means while c...