What does a severity ranking of 5 represent?

A severity ranking of 5 typically indicates a critical level of severity. In many threat assessment or vulnerability scoring systems, such as the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), severity levels are structured to represent the impact and urgency of addressing security issues.

A critical ranking usually suggests that the identified vulnerability poses an immediate threat, potentially leading to severe damage, data loss, or significant disruption to operations if not addressed promptly. This implies that the issue should be prioritized for immediate action due to its potential consequences. In contrast, lower severity rankings such as minor, serious or moderate indicate issues that, while they may still require attention, do not demand urgent response compared to a critical severity ranking.