Differentiate Vertical & Horizontal Escalation

Gaining initial access to a system is just the first step for an attacker. The real goal is often to gain more power. Privilege escalation is the process of increasing your access rights, and it comes in two main flavors: vertical and horizontal. Think of it like a video game: vertical escalation is leveling up, moving from a standard user to a powerful administrator with god-like control over the system. Horizontal escalation is moving sideways, taking over other accounts at the same level as you to access their data or cover your tracks.