Vulnerability debt
Definition
The accumulated exposure and operational burden created when vulnerability treatment is delayed or repeatedly deferred.
Why it matters
Separate high-priority exposure, accepted risk and lower-value hygiene debt. Measure age, recurrence, blocked treatment and the engineering causes that continually recreate the backlog.
Use it in practice
Start with authoritative evidence, record the source and freshness, and be explicit about what this term can and cannot tell you. Connect it to asset context and a named action rather than treating it as an isolated label.