Which attack method is designed to gain access through vulnerabilities in the code of an operating system or application?

The attack method that is specifically designed to exploit vulnerabilities in the code of an operating system or application is known as an exploit. Exploits take advantage of flaws or weaknesses within the software to gain unauthorized access or carry out malicious actions. This could involve leveraging bugs in the programming or configuration errors that have not been patched or secured.

In contrast, malware is a more general term that refers to any malicious software, including viruses, worms, and Trojans, which may not necessarily utilize a particular vulnerability in an application or operating system to function. Ransomware specifically targets data and locks it, demanding payment for its release, and while it may utilize exploit techniques, it is not solely dependent on the exploitation of coding vulnerabilities. Phishing, on the other hand, is a social engineering tactic that involves tricking individuals into providing sensitive information, rather than directly targeting software vulnerabilities.

Thus, exploits are fundamentally characterized by their focus on taking advantage of specific coding weaknesses within software systems or applications.