Vulnerability › Module 6 › Lesson 2
Base/Temporal
Attack vector, complexity, and temporal modifiers — interpret on YOUR lab scan rows.
Visual · t18_base_temporal
Base = flaw itself; Temporal = outside factors like exploit maturity. Original Cyberlium.
Opening
Network attack vector on an internal-only lab VM still matters — but only in a report you own.
CVSS Base metrics include Attack Vector (AV), Attack Complexity (AC), Privileges Required (PR), User Interaction (UI), and impact to Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability. Temporal metrics adjust for Exploit Code Maturity, Remediation Level, and Report Confidence — often omitted in scanner defaults. Read Base and Temporal columns on YOUR $LAB_ASSETS Nessus/OpenVAS export; note when Temporal lowers urgency because no public exploit exists. Never use 'Temporal says functional exploit' as excuse to run exploit code on unauthorized targets — lab verification stays non-destructive on assets you own.
1. Base metrics literacy
AV:N (network) vs AV:L (local) changes who can reach the flaw — map to YOUR asset exposure.
AC:L (low complexity) means reliable exploitation path in theory — still verify safely in lab scope.
Command guide
Try these commands — Base metrics literacy
═══ TOOLS & WEBSITES ═══ Browse / read these (authorized learning only — stay in YOUR lab / program scope)
FIRST CVSS — https://www.first.org/cvss/ NVD metrics — https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln-metrics/cvss
═══ INSTALL ═══
Linux (Debian/Ubuntu):
Command — copy this
sudo apt install curl sudo apt install jq
macOS:
Command — copy this
brew install jq
Windows: Built-in (PowerShell: Invoke-WebRequest)
Command — copy this
choco install jq
═══ LINUX / macOS ═══
Command — copy this
curl -sS https://www.first.org/cvss/ | head -8
curl -sS 'https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?cveId=CVE-2021-44228' | jq '.vulnerabilities[0].cve.metrics.cvssMetricV31[0].cvssData | {baseScore, vectorString}'Primary tools to practice this lesson: curl, jq. Reference sites: FIRST CVSS (https://www.first.org/cvss/); NVD metrics (https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln-metrics/cvss). Run every command in the box — install first, then the usage lines — only on YOUR lab / program scope.
2. Temporal modifiers
Exploit maturity: unproven vs functional affects urgency when patch is delayed.
Remediation level: official fix vs workaround — feeds remediation planning later in topic.
3. Lab boundary
Annotate two findings from $LAB_ASSETS export with Base metrics explained in plain English.
No downloading exploit PoCs to 'confirm' Temporal on stranger IPs — verify safely lesson covers owned assets.
4. What you ship: Base/Temporal notes
AV/AC/PR/UI impact summary + Temporal maturity note + NEVER stranger exploit PoC line.
5. What you record before the next lesson
Base/Temporal notes path.
6. Wrong vs right: stranger nets vs YOUR lab assets
Worked failure — same MSF word, opposite target. Right never needs a café Wi-Fi or classmate laptop.
Wrong
Import functional exploit for CVE against employer staging without pentest ticket.
Right
Explain Base vs Temporal. Next: Environmental.
Mission: Base/Temporal worksheet
1) Define AV and AC in one line each. 2) Explain Exploit Code Maturity. 3) Write NEVER PoC on unauthorized hosts.
Stuck? Ask Cyberlium AI Mentor
Ask Mentor: “When scanner omits Temporal?”
Knowledge Check
APPLY: Attack Vector Network (AV:N) means:
Multiple choice
Knowledge Check
APPLY: True or False: Functional exploit maturity means run PoC on any host.
True or False
Knowledge Check
APPLY: Temporal metrics include:
Multiple choice