attack surface

nouncandidate·updated May 9, 2026

The set of ways in which an adversary can enter a system and potentially cause damage.

Framework senses

2 senses across 2 frameworks

National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) Cybersecurity Lexicon1 senseview framework →

§1 · extended_definition_available: The set of ways in which an adversary can enter a system and potentially cause damage.

CPMI-IOSCO Guidance on Cyber Resilience for Financial Market Infrastructures1 senseview framework →

§1: The sum of an information system’s characteristics in the broad categories (software, hardware, network, processes and human) which allows an attacker to probe, enter, attack or maintain a presence in the system and potentially cause damage to an FMI. A smaller attack surface means that the FMI is less exploitable and an attack less likely.