Editing Client–server model (section)

=== Computer security ===
In a [[computer security]] context, client-side vulnerabilities or attacks refer to those that occur on the client / user's computer system, rather than on the [[server-side|server side]], or [[Man-in-the-middle attack|in between the two]].  As an example, if a server contained an [[encryption|encrypted]] file or message which could only be decrypted using a [[Key (cryptography)|key]] housed on the user's computer system, a client-side attack would normally be an attacker's only opportunity to gain access to the decrypted contents.  For instance, the attacker might cause [[malware]] to be installed on the client system, allowing the attacker to view the user's screen, record the user's keystrokes, and steal copies of the user's encryption keys, etc.  Alternatively, an attacker might employ [[cross-site scripting]] vulnerabilities to execute malicious code on the client's system without needing to install any permanently resident malware.<ref name=oreilly /><ref name=n3tweb /><ref name=alpinesecurity />