Privilege-Escalation
Exploit Chain — Linking Multiple Vulnerabilities for Full Compromise
An Exploit Chain is a sequence of vulnerabilities or techniques combined to achieve full system compromise. This SECMONS glossary entry explains how exploit chains work, why single CVSS scores may underestimate risk, and how defenders should assess chained exploitation.
Lateral Movement — Expanding Access Across Internal Systems
Lateral Movement is a post-compromise attack technique where an adversary moves from one compromised system to others within the same network. This SECMONS glossary entry explains how lateral movement works, why it is operationally critical, and how defenders should detect and contain it.
Persistence — Maintaining Long-Term Access After Initial Compromise
Persistence is the stage of an intrusion where attackers establish mechanisms to maintain access to a compromised system or environment over time. This SECMONS glossary entry explains how persistence works, common techniques used by threat actors, and how defenders can detect and remove persistent footholds.
Privilege Escalation — Gaining Higher Access Rights Than Intended
Privilege Escalation is an attack technique where a user or process gains higher permissions than originally granted. This SECMONS glossary entry explains vertical and horizontal privilege escalation, common exploitation paths, and defensive mitigation strategies.
Sandbox Escape — Breaking Out of Application Isolation Boundaries
A sandbox escape occurs when an attacker bypasses application isolation mechanisms to execute code outside a restricted environment. This SECMONS glossary entry explains how sandboxing works, how escapes occur, and why sandbox escape vulnerabilities significantly increase exploitation impact.