Working code or technique that turns a vulnerability into an actual attack.
An exploit is the practical attack that weaponizes a vulnerability — a script, payload, or technique that turns "theoretically unsafe" into "actively compromised". A vulnerability with a public exploit is far more urgent than one without: the skill barrier for attackers drops to near zero.
Vulnerability pages on Safeguard Gold flag EXPLOIT AVAILABLE when working exploit code is known to circulate, and track exploit maturity so you can triage: patch exploited flaws first.