How is 'exploitation' defined in the context of cybersecurity?

In the context of cybersecurity, exploitation is defined as the act of taking advantage of a vulnerability in a system or application to gain unauthorized access, escalate privileges, or cause harm. This definition highlights the active nature of exploitation, where an attacker interacts with a system's weaknesses to achieve malicious objectives.

Understanding this process is crucial for cybersecurity professionals, as it directly relates to how attackers operate and the methods they employ to breach systems. By recognizing the scenarios in which exploitation can occur, security teams can enhance their defenses and put measures in place to prevent potential breaches.

The other options focus on different aspects of cybersecurity. Discovering new vulnerabilities is part of a vulnerability management strategy but does not define exploitation itself. Mitigating identified threats involves implementing security measures, which contrasts with the notion of exploitation as an offensive action. User access control measures are an essential component of security, but they are preventive controls rather than describing the act of exploitation.