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What is a threat vector? Examples in cybersecurity

What is a threat vector?

Cybersecurity threat vectors, or attack vectors, are methods or mechanisms cybercriminals use to gain illegal, unauthorized access to computer systems and networks. The motivations for using cybersecurity threat vectors vary by the type of attacker.

Cybercriminals that effectively leverage cybersecurity threat vectors include:

  • individual hackers
  • disgruntled former employees
  • politically motivated groups
  • hacktivists
  • cybercrime syndicates
  • state-sponsored groups

Following a successful infiltration with a threat vector, cybercriminals may use additional vectors to perform additional misdeeds, such as:

  • Stealing valuable information (e.g., login credentials, personally identifiable information (PII), protected health information (PHI), trade secrets, financial data)
  • Launching ransomware for extortion
  • Damaging systems
  • Causing system failures
  • Taking control of systems

There are many examples of cybersecurity threat vectors. Most can be categorized as active or passive.

Examples of passive cybersecurity threat vectors include those that use methods to gain access without affecting system resources, such as phishing, pretexting, baiting, piggybacking, tailgating, and other social engineering vectors.

Conversely, examples of cybersecurity threat vectors that are active share a disruptive characteristic; they seek to alter a system or affect its operation. Examples include malware, ransomware, exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities, email spoofing, man-in-the-middle attacks, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.

Why understanding threat vectors is important

Cyber attacks continue to cause significant losses and disruption. Understanding cybersecurity threat vectors facilitates an understanding of the entry points into computer systems and networks. With this information, vulnerabilities can be remediated and gaps closed. It also highlights the scale of the attack surface and can be used to identify areas that can be eliminated to minimize its size.

A proactive approach to learning about cybersecurity threat vectors is an effective way to significantly reduce risk, because most cyber attacks take the path of least resistance, targeting known vectors that are often overlooked.

Examples of threat vectors and how to mitigate them

Drive-by download attacks

Drive-by download attacks infect a device while users are simply browsing websites, even legitimate and trusted websites. This threat vector is initiated when cybercriminals take advantage of vulnerabilities in users’ browsers that allow malware to be injected.

The malware is downloaded after users clicks on a link, pop-up window, or advertisement. Users are lured into clicking with special offers, warning messages, and update alerts.

Examples of how organizations enable protection from these threat vectors include:

  • Deploying security tools that proactively detect and respond to threats, such as next-generation firewall (NGFW), endpoint detection and response (EDR), and network detection and response (NDR).
  • Keeping browsers and plugins up to date with updates directly from the provider.
  • Training users to identify and not click suspicious pop-ups and advertisements on websites.

Insider threats

Insider threats are either malicious or negligent. A malicious insider is a user with internal access privileges, such as an employee, former employee, or partner who uses their access to attack an organization. Malicious insiders are particularly troublesome examples of cybersecurity threat vectors because they have access to and know the locations of data and systems. They often steal data for financial gain or expose it to harm the organization’s reputation.

While the damage they do is not intentional, negligent insiders are also problematic examples of cybersecurity threat vectors. Negligent insiders generally cause security problems by making mistakes, such as revealing their passwords or connecting to the internet using public Wi-Fi or personal virtual private networks (VPNs).

Examples of how organizations enable protection from insider threats include:

  • Watching for disgruntled employees and closely monitoring data and network access for every device they use.
  • Continuously educating and reminding insiders of security best practices and their benefits.
  • Prohibiting the connection of removable media or the copying of data to removable devices.
  • Using NDR to detect irregular behavior, such as accessing systems at odd hours or exfiltrating data at high volume.

Malware

Malware is a short name for malicious software. It describes many strains of software that are purpose-built for attacks.

Common examples of cybersecurity threat vectors in the malware category include ransomware, spyware, worms, Trojan attacks, and viruses.

Malware is used to gain unauthorized access to systems and networks with the sole intent of causing trouble—from stealing sensitive data to disrupting operations.

Examples of how organizations enable protection from these threat vectors include:

  • Implementing sandboxing and firewalls to partition data and applications.
  • Knowing the characteristics of an attack.
  • Using antivirus and anti-malware software to detect and block threat vectors.

Misconfiguration

There are many examples of cybersecurity threat vectors associated with misconfiguration. Misconfigurations that can facilitate threat vectors may happen when setup pages are enabled, a user uses default usernames and passwords, or errors occur when setting up cloud services (e.g., Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure).

Examples of how organizations enable protection from misconfiguration include:

  • Establishing and enforcing procedures and systems to tighten configuration processes.
  • Monitoring application and device settings.
  • Using automation wherever possible.

Missing or poor encryption

When encryption is implemented poorly or not at all, cybersecurity threat vectors multiply. When it is not properly encrypted, sensitive information is open to attacks. Data can be stolen during transmission (e.g., a man-in-the-middle attack), or cybercriminals can steal it at rest from data storage.

Examples of how organizations enable protection from missing or poor encryption include:

  • Avoiding the assumption that following compliance guidelines means suitable encryption is in place.
  • Not relying on low-level encryption to protect sensitive data.
  • Ensuring that sensitive data is encrypted at rest, in transit, and in processing.
  • Using strong encryption methods.

Weak, compromised, or stolen credentials

Credential exposure remains one of the leading examples of cybersecurity threat vectors. Weak passwords and password reuse make users’ login credentials easy targets for cybercriminals, who use them to gain access to systems, applications, and networks, then initiate their nefarious propagation across managed devices and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Usernames and passwords are still the most common type of access credentials. They are highly susceptible to threat vectors such as phishing scams and malware. They are also often exposed to third parties, such as mobile applications and websites. Regardless of whether credentials were weak and a cyber attacker deduced them or the credentials were lost or stolen, the result is the same—bad actors gain unauthorized access that can be used as a launch point to escalate their privileges within a network.

It is important to note that credential holders are not limited to people. Servers, network devices, and even security tools often use credentials as part of the integration and communication between devices. These machine-to-machine credentials are particularly risky, because they can be used to move throughout the enterprise, both vertically and horizontally. IoT devices, which are notorious for weak credentials, are frequent targets.

Examples of how organizations enable protection from these threat vectors include:

Phishing

Many examples of cybersecurity threat vectors are associated with phishing. Phishing is a social engineering attack method that uses email, text messages, or telephone calls. The attacker poses as a trusted messenger to trick the target into sharing sensitive information (e.g., login credentials, financial information, credit card details).

Phishing messages sometimes entice people to share information verbally. Other approaches trick targets into clicking malicious links.

Phishing is one of the most effective cybersecurity threat vectors; it has defeated even the most sophisticated cyber defense systems by preying on people’s weaknesses.

Examples of how organizations enable protection from phishing include:

  • Blocking malicious websites.
  • Conducting phishing drills.
  • Deploying a next-generation firewall (NGFW) with malware detection and threat intelligence.
  • Educating team members about how to recognize phishing messages.
  • Installing an endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution.
  • Keeping software patched and updated.
  • Monitoring and tracking web browsing and email click-through behavior for users.
  • Requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA).
  • Using spam filters.

Ransomware

Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts systems and renders them inaccessible. Cybercriminals then threaten to delete or expose the data on systems unless a ransom is paid.

Examples of cybersecurity threat vectors in the ransomware category abound. Ransomware is spread and activated in the same way as malware and phishing. It is a powerful and effective threat vector that continues to menace organizations of all sizes.

Examples of how organizations enable protection from ransomware include:

  • Keeping software patched and updated.
  • Following all protocols used for malware and phishing.

Remote access services

Remote access services are examples of cybersecurity threat vectors that turn an important productivity tool into a potential point of entry for cybercriminals. These solutions allow users to connect to remote systems and networks.

Examples of remote access services include virtual private networks (VPN) and Windows remote desktop services. These solutions enable users to access their workstations using another device, but they can also be detected and exploited by cybercriminals. Once a remote access point is discovered, cybercriminals can hack into the connection (e.g., using a brute-force attack, exploiting misconfigurations and vulnerabilities).

Examples of how organizations enable protection from these threat vectors include:

  • Allowing remote access only for users who truly need it.
  • Ensuring that remote access services are up to date.
  • Requiring strong passwords.
  • Setting an account lockout policy.
  • Using multi-factor authentication.

Removable media

Removable media is an older example of a cybersecurity threat vector; from floppy disks to flash drives, it has persisted as a threat vector. Once data has been copied to removable media, there is a risk of it being intercepted and accessed for unauthorized use. Because removable media is small and easy to transport, it can easily be lost, stolen, or used for data exfiltration.

From its early days, removable media has also been used to distribute malware. Floppy disks were used to deliver the first known ransomware in 1989. A floppy disk labeled “AIDS Information Introductory Diskette,” which contained a DOS Trojan horse called the PC Cyborg Troja was mailed to a mailing list. When the disk was launched, the malware encrypted the names of all directories on the user’s C drive.

Flash drives and other removable media continue to serve as delivery agents for malware. Examples of how organizations enable protection from these threat vectors include:

  • Disabling the AutoRun feature for removable media.
  • Prohibiting removable media from connecting to network devices if not required.
  • Setting automatic malware scans on removable media before they are allowed to connect.

Understand cybersecurity threat vectors for effective defense

Cybercriminals of all stripes are motivated, persistent, and plentiful. They prove day after day that they can get around cyber defenses, even in the most sophisticated organizations. There are many examples of cybersecurity threat vectors, but it behooves security professionals to study and understand them to more effectively direct their defense tactics to protect sensitive applications, data, and networks.

Once the threat vectors are well-understood, applying targeted defenses to specific areas across an enterprise’s attack surface is easier and more efficient. While some risk is expected as part of doing business, socializing examples of threat vectors throughout the organization is considered a best practice amongst cybersecurity experts.

DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND NOTHING CONVEYED IN THIS ARTICLE IS INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE ANY FORM OF LEGAL ADVICE. SAILPOINT CANNOT GIVE SUCH ADVICE AND RECOMMENDS THAT YOU CONTACT LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING APPLICABLE LEGAL ISSUES.

Answers to frequently asked questions about threat vectors

What is a threat vector?

A threat vector, also referred to as an attack vector, refers to the specific approach that an adversary uses to infiltrate or compromise an organization's information systems or networks. Cybercriminals use threat vectors to bypass security controls and gain unauthorized access to sensitive assets, frequently exploiting vulnerabilities in hardware, software, and human behavior. Specific examples of threat vectors include:

  • Compromised credentials
  • Phishing emails with infected attachments or malicious links
  • Public Wi-Fi networks
  • Unsecured remote access services
What are the three main threat vectors?

Cybersecurity professionals consider the three main threat vectors to be:
1. Social engineering—Attackers exploit human psychology through tactics (e.g., phishing, pretexting, and baiting) to trick individuals into disclosing sensitive information or unwittingly granting system access.
2. Software vulnerabilities—Attackers leverage flaws or weaknesses in applications, operating systems, or network devices to execute malicious code or escalate privileges.
3. Credential compromise—Cybercriminals acquire legitimate credentials through methods such as brute-force attacks, credential stuffing, or information-stealing malware to bypass security controls and operate as authorized users within the target environment.

What are examples of attacks that exploit cybersecurity threat vectors?
  • Brute force attacks—attackers systematically try different combinations of passwords to gain unauthorized access to accounts and systems
  • Cross-site scripting (XSS)—attackers inject malicious scripts into trusted web applications to steal user data or manipulate site content
  • Man-in-the-middle attacks—attackers intercept communications between two parties to capture sensitive information or modify data in transit
  • Session hijacking—allows attackers to assume a legitimate user's session, thereby bypassing authentication mechanisms and accessing confidential resources
  • SQL (structured query language) injections—attackers target vulnerabilities in database-driven applications, enabling attackers to execute unauthorized queries and potentially extract or alter valuable information
  • Trojan attacks—attackers disguise malicious code as legitimate software to deceive users and infiltrate systems
  • Worms—attackers use self-replicating programs that spread autonomously across networks, often causing widespread disruption
  • Zero-day attacks—attackers exploit previously unknown vulnerabilities before patches are made available, making them especially difficult to prevent
What are examples of top cybersecurity threat vectors?

The following are the most commonly exploited threat vectors:

  • Email is a primary conduit for phishing attacks and malware distribution, often leveraging social engineering to compromise users and bypass technical defenses.
  • Mobile devices are vulnerable to malicious apps, unsecured WI-FI connections, and phishing messages because of their constant connectivity and frequent use of third-party applications.
  • Networks are targeted through exploits such as man-in-the-middle attacks, denial-of-service (DoS), and vulnerabilities in network infrastructure.
  • Remote access portals, such as VPNs and remote desktop services, are exploited to gain privileged access to internal systems.
    • Users are particularly susceptible due to human error and a lack of cybersecurity awareness.
    • Web applications are targeted through vectors, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and exploitation of unpatched vulnerabilities.
How does a cybercriminal use a cybersecurity threat vector?

Cybercriminals routinely follow a process to leverage the unique characteristics of different threat vectors. Understanding this process demonstrates the need for comprehensive defenses at every potential point of entry within the organizational attack surface. An example of a process used to exploit a threat vector for various types of attack is as follows.
1. Identifies a target and analyzes it to find applicable threat vectors that could provide initial access to the system or network.
2. Gathers information about the target's infrastructure, common vulnerabilities, and users' behaviors to assess points of weakness.
3. Uses this information to identify additional tools needed to launch an attack (e.g., malware, phishing campaigns, or brute-force scripts) to exploit these vectors. The attacker may also probe the compromised environment for additional vulnerabilities, escalate their privileges, and establish persistence, often through backdoors or command-and-control servers.
4. Gains access, then undertakes malicious actions, such as:

  • Stealing sensitive data
  • Installing additional malicious code
  • Surveilling network activity for future exploits
  • Taking control of the compromised system with a command-and-control server
  • Extracting data or encrypting data to hold for ransom
  • Encrypting critical information to hold for ransom
What are the implications for an organization that does not understand threat vectors?

Organizations that fail to understand cybersecurity threat vectors face significant vulnerabilities, including:

  • Costly, ineffective remediation when symptoms are patched rather than addressing root causes
  • Financial losses resulting from successful attacks
  • Higher breach risk with attackers exploiting unknown and undefended threat vectors
  • Incident response teams may be underprepared to detect or remediate breaches due to playbooks and forensics missing critical IoCs (indicators of compromise) and TTPs (tactics, techniques, and procedures) used by threat actors
  • Insurance and claims problems with security gaps and failures, resulting in higher premiums or denied claims
  • Lack of security measures that leave sensitive data and intellectual property susceptible to theft, compromise, or destruction
  • Longer dwell time, resulting in prolonged exposure to threats and greater operational disruption
  • Poor prioritization and misplaced defenses with spending on controls that do not address actual threats, and the inability to rank vulnerabilities or assets based on actual risks
  • Regulatory penalties for data breaches
  • Reputational damage from repeated or high-impact incidents that erode trust
  • Technical debt and recurring incidents due to persistent gaps that lead to repeated compromises
How do common cyber attacks utilizing threat vectors evolve?

Attackers adapt cyber attacks by evolving threat vectors to become faster and stealthier, as well as evade changing cybersecurity defenses and user awareness. Examples of how cyber attacks evolve include moving from:

  • Opportunistic attacks to refined targeted, such as going from mass phishing to spear phishing and business email compromise
  • Single exploits expanded to exploit chains, such as a simple CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) exploit, which gets integrated with credential theft and lateral movement
  • Standalone malware to outsourced services, such as DIY to using a ransomware-as-a-service offering
  • Manual intrusions to automation, such as 1:1 social engineering attacks, to using bots and scripts to automate discovery and exploitation at scale
  • Direct compromise to third-party attacks, such as going from attacks on an organization to gain access to targeting vendors and supply chain organizations to gain unauthorized access
What is an AI threat vector?

An AI threat vector is any method or mechanism that attackers use to compromise, manipulate, or exploit AI systems, outputs, or underlying infrastructure. Examples of AI threat vectors that can result in misinformation, privacy breaches, malicious reconnaissance, or manipulate decisions, include:

  • Adversarial inputs—subtly manipulated input data can deceive a machine learning algorithm into making incorrect decisions, such as those that can undermine security controls
  • Data poisoning—malicious inputs are used to corrupt training datasets, causing an AI model to behave unpredictably or with bias
  • Model extraction—probing a model with queries to reconstruct its functionality or weights
  • Prompt-injection—malicious input that overrides or manipulates model behavior
What are the four main threat categories?

Threats are categorized by source and how they are executed, as well as by the type of threat. The following are the four main ones in each category.

Categorized by source and execution:

  • Internal threats—originate from within the organization and are often perpetrated by employees, contractors, or partners who have legitimate access to systems
  • External threats—perpetrated by individuals or groups outside the organization, such as cybercrime syndicates, hacktivists, or state-sponsored actors
  • Structured threats—execution is organized, methodical, and typically involves extensive planning and resources, with attackers leveraging sophisticated techniques, and often targeting high-value assets or executing coordinated attacks over an extended period
  • Unstructured threats—attacks are opportunistic and generally less technical, relying on chance discoveries of system weaknesses, such as poorly secured passwords or unpatched software vulnerabilities

Categorized by type:

  • Malware—malicious software designed to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems (e.g., viruses, worms, Trojans, and ransomware)
  • Social engineering—attacks that manipulate individuals to divulge confidential information or perform actions that compromise security
  • Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks—make a machine or network resource unavailable to its intended users by overwhelming it with traffic or requests
  • Advanced persistent threats (APTs)—sophisticated, prolonged attacks that typically involve multiple layers of cyber attack tools to gain long-term access to a network
What is the difference between an attack vector and an attack surface?

While closely related concepts, an attack vector and attack surface are not the same. Understanding the difference is important when creating plans for or responding to risk and cybersecurity incidents. By regularly evaluating both attack vectors and the attack surface, cybersecurity professionals can more effectively prioritize threat mitigation strategies and allocate resources to prioritize remediation and fortification.

  • Attack surface—The sum of all possible attack vectors that can be used to gain unauthorized access to a system or network. A larger attack surface provides cybercriminals with more opportunities to identify vulnerabilities, while a smaller, well-managed attack surface reduces overall exposure and enhances organizational security.
  • Attack vector—A specific method or pathway a cybercriminal exploits to gain unauthorized access to systems or data. Attack vectors encompass a number of tactics to bypass security defenses, including malware, network intrusion, phishing campaigns, and social engineering.
What is the difference between a threat agent and a threat vector?

A threat agent initiates or orchestrates the attack, while the threat vector is the mechanism through which the attack is executed.

  • Threat agent—A threat agent refers to the entity (e.g., a person, group, or automated process) that is responsible for carrying out an attack or exploiting a vulnerability in a system. It represents the source of danger, such as a malicious hacker, a disgruntled employee, or a state-sponsored group.
  • Threat vector—A threat vector is the specific tactics that an attacker uses to gain unauthorized access to a system or network. Common threat vectors include phishing emails, malware, unpatched software vulnerabilities, or unsecured remote access ports.
What is the difference between a threat vector and a vulnerability?

While vulnerabilities are the underlying deficiencies within a system, threat vectors are the tools and techniques used to exploit those deficiencies.

  • Threat vector—The specific method or pathway that an attacker utilizes to gain unauthorized access to a system, network, or application to exploit vulnerabilities to initiate an attack, such as phishing emails, malware, or unsecured remote access points.
  • Vulnerability—A weakness or flaw within an organization's infrastructure, software, or security policy that threat actors could exploit, such as outdated software, weak encryption protocols, or misconfigured settings.
What are some emerging mitigation strategies for threat vectors?

As cyber threats continue to evolve, organizations must stay ahead by adopting emerging mitigation strategies designed to address both existing and novel threat vectors. Several effective new threat vector mitigation strategies include:

  • Adversarial model training—Train artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models on adversarial examples to reduce susceptibility to crafted inputs.
  • Data provenance and lineage—Track data sources and transformations to detect poisoning and enable rollback.
  • Input validation—Block malicious payloads (e.g., prompt payloads, malformed files) before processing.
  • Least-privilege access and rate limits—Restrict model APIs, use authorization, quotas, and throttling to prevent abuse and extraction.
  • Model and runtime monitoring—Log inputs and outputs and detect anomalies (e.g., distribution drift and unusual query patterns) in real time.
  • Prompt-filtering and sandboxing—Isolate untrusted prompts and run risky actions in constrained sandboxes or simulators.
  • Zero-trust architectures —Shift the security model from implicit trust within a network to continuous verification of every user, device, and application—regardless of location.
Date: December 24, 2025Reading time: 11 minutes
CybersecurityIdentity threat detectionMitigating risk

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