This paper attempts to bring order to the methods for algorithmicly determining vulnerability to known problems. We use vulnerability in a loose sense which includes not only software design errors and implementation flaws, but also misconfigurations and questionable user decisions (such as using a weak password). We provide an understanding of the issues and difficulties that arise in a devising and deploying a test or set of tests for a given vulnerability, and also offer up a set of terms that can be used to unambiguously describe a given test, allowing practitioners to more easily debate and discuss their merits. We limit our investigations to that set of problems which can be identified without credentials.

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