A security analyst identifies a vulnerability that exists on both the company's external, public-facing web servers and its internal employee workstations. Given that this vulnerability affects multiple, distinct security zones, which factor is the most crucial for the analyst to prioritize when assessing the overall risk?
The exploitability of the vulnerability on external systems
The combined potential impact across all affected systems
The likelihood of exploitation by a known threat actor
The correct answer is 'The combined potential impact across all affected systems.' When a vulnerability spans multiple security zones, such as the internal network and the public-facing DMZ, its potential impact is magnified. A successful exploit could facilitate lateral movement from an external server to internal workstations. Therefore, assessing the total potential damage across all affected systems is the primary consideration. While exploitability on external systems, regulatory requirements, and threat actor likelihood are all important components of a full risk assessment, understanding the potential blast radius across different zones is the most direct consequence of the vulnerability's widespread presence.
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Why is the potential impact prioritized over the likelihood of exploitation in vulnerability assessment?
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What tools can help in assessing the impact of a vulnerability across systems?
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How do internal and external systems differ in terms of vulnerability impact?