Sensitive data is stored or transmitted without encryption.
Encrypt in transit (TLS) and at rest with modern algorithms; manage keys in a KMS.
MITRE ATT&CK techniques associated with this weakness class (mapped via MITRE CAPEC). A vulnerability of this type could let an adversary carry out:
A stage-by-stage walkthrough of the attack, mapped to the real MITRE ATT&CK tactics for this weakness — what the attacker is trying to do, what's at risk (what can be stolen or damaged), and how you defend. Understanding the playbook is how you shut it down.
Study the target to find the weakness before touching it.
Exposed version info, error messages, and endpoints that reveal the vulnerable component.
Minimise information disclosure; hide version banners and verbose errors.
Steal passwords, tokens, keys, and session material.
Passwords, API keys, session tokens, SSH/TLS keys, and secrets in memory, env, or config.
Secret managers, short-lived tokens, and no secrets in code/env/logs.
Map what else is reachable — hosts, services, data stores, and accounts.
Internal topology, service inventory, and data locations the attacker enumerates.
Network segmentation and detection of unusual internal scanning.
Gather the valuable data before taking it out.
Databases, files, customer records, source code, and business data.
Data-access monitoring, encryption at rest, and least-privilege data access.
This is a defensive, conceptual walkthrough for education — stages reflect MITRE ATT&CK tactics associated with this weakness class, not a working exploit. Not every attack uses every stage.