Networks are vulnerable due to a combination of human error (like weak passwords, social engineering), software/hardware flaws (bugs, unpatched systems, default settings), and inherent design issues (complexity, connectivity), which create entry points for attackers to exploit known weaknesses, intercept data, or move laterally across systems, often starting with a single compromised device.
How is a network vulnerable to threats? Any device connected to a network poses a hardware-based security risk if managed improperly. Hardware vulnerabilities include firewalls, Wi-Fi routers, IoT devices, and employees' use of unauthorized devices. Software vulnerabilities include operating systems and applications.
An unsecured network has no security policies or provisions, so network access can be gained if a hacker penetrates a network access point such as a router or an IoT device.
Lack of network security updates
If your network security is not regularly updated, there may be holes in your security, resulting in network vulnerabilities. Outdated security may result in security holes that can be penetrated by malicious actors if not patched.
1. Malware. Malicious software, or malware, includes viruses, worms, ransomware, and spyware. These programs infiltrate systems to steal data, disrupt operations, or hold data hostage for ransom.
Network security threats are like digital burglars, always looking for ways into your systems. Malware, phishing, and ransomware are some of the most common methods they use to exploit weaknesses. Each one targets vulnerabilities in unique ways, requiring constant vigilance.
More than 90% of successful cyber-attacks start with a phishing email.
The different types of vulnerability
In the table below four different types of vulnerability have been identified, Human-social, Physical, Economic and Environmental and their associated direct and indirect losses.
Submarine cables, which carry more than 95% of international data through fibre optics crisscrossing the ocean floor, have once again proven to be uniquely vulnerable.
Unsecured networks are networks that you can connect to without any kind of password or authorization. Also, they won't have protections built into the network to prevent hackers. Unsecured networks lack cybersecurity measures that keep your information safe.
there's an issue with your network equipment - router, modem, cables, etc. the device you're trying to use (computer, smartphone, tablet, etc.) has a problem. your Internet service provider does some temporary maintenance work on their network.
There are three dimensions of vulnerability: exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity.
There are four key drivers of vulnerability:
Network vulnerabilities can stem from various factors, including outdated hardware and software, configuration errors, and insufficient maintenance. Outdated systems typically do not have the latest security updates, making them more prone to network attacks.
Looking into 2025, the threat of violence from US-based violent extremists—including DVEs who are motivated by various ideologies and FTO-inspired homegrown violent extremists (HVEs)—will remain high.
Types of Cyber Criminals and Their Psychological Profiles
Their main motivation is often curiosity or a desire for peer recognition. Organized Cyber Criminals: These attackers are often part of sophisticated groups that carry out large-scale attacks for financial gain.
Types of cyber threats your institution should be aware of include:
Vulnerability is determined by historical, political, cultural, institutional, and natural resource processes that shape people's lives and lifestyles, that may produce a range of underlying drivers of vulnerability.
Network vulnerabilities come in many forms but the most common types are: Malware, short for malicious software, such as Trojans, viruses, and worms that are installed on a user's machine or a host server. Social engineering attacks that fool users into giving up personal information such as a username or password.
Some common examples of vulnerable groups in society include: elderly people, people with low incomes, uninsured people, homeless people, racial or ethnic minorities, people in prison, migrant workers, pregnant women, people in the LGBTQIA community, and children.
China is by far and away the biggest source of hacking with nearly half of all attacks originating from the country. The US also houses its share of hackers – perhaps unsurprisingly, given that the US pretty much leads the charts for any web stat. What's amazing is tiny Taiwan's contribution to the total.
The World Economic Forum notes that 95% of cybersecurity issues can be traced to human mistakes. A 2025 Mimecast report likewise found 95% of breaches involved human error - underscoring that human mistakes surpassed technological flaws as the top cause of breaches.
Financial Gain: Among the most prevalent motivations driving cybercrime is the pursuit of financial profit. Cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities in digital systems to access sensitive financial information, perpetrate online fraud, and extort money through ransomware attacks.