Exploit Application Vulnerability

Attackers use this technique to gain higher privileges on a computer system by exploiting a vulnerability in application software. The attacker looks for vulnerabilities in application software installed on the target system. This could be a security vulnerability in any application such as web browsers, office programs, PDF viewers or other software. After the vulnerability is identified, the attacker develops a special "exploit" that targets the vulnerability. The attacker executes the exploit on the target system using the application affected by the vulnerability. After successful execution, the attacker can gain higher privileges on the system.