An exploit is a technique, code path, or attack method that takes advantage of a vulnerability. A buffer overflow attack is an exploit because it abuses improper memory handling to overwrite memory and potentially execute malicious code, crash a process, or alter program behavior. Misconfigured access control is a vulnerability: it is the weakness that may allow unauthorized access. Unpatched software is also a vulnerability because known flaws remain present. An exposed password is a credential exposure or security weakness, not the exploit itself. The distinction is essential: vulnerabilities are conditions, exploits are methods that use those conditions, and attacks are the broader malicious actions performed by threat actors. Defenders reduce exploitability by patching, secure coding, configuration hardening, input validation, exploit prevention, segmentation, and monitoring. Reference/topics: Cybersecurity 1.1, vulnerabilities and exploits; Cybersecurity 1.5, threat prevention practices.