Definition
Exploitation workflows are the systematic processes and techniques used by security professionals to identify, analyze, and leverage vulnerabilities within systems or networks. These workflows typically involve reconnaissance, vulnerability scanning, exploit development or selection, and post-exploitation activities to achieve specific security objectives. Understanding these workflows is crucial for both offensive security testers to demonstrate impact and defensive teams to build robust security controls. For instance, a penetration tester might follow an exploitation workflow to gain unauthorized access to a web application by first identifying an SQL injection vulnerability and then using it to extract sensitive data. This differs from vulnerability management, which focuses on identifying and remediating weaknesses rather than actively exploiting them. Concepts related to exploitation workflows are frequently tested in domains like CompTIA Security+ and CySA+.