weak point / vulnerability
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weak point
A flaw, gap, or deficiency in a plan, argument, concept, or organization that makes it vulnerable or ineffective.
Die Schwachstelle seiner Argumentation war, dass er keine Beweise vorlegen konnte.
The weak point in his argument was that he could not provide any evidence.
'Schwachstelle' (weak point/vulnerability) is a very logical word made up of the adjective 'schwach' (weak) and the noun 'die Stelle' (place/spot). It literally means 'a weak place' or 'a weak point'.
Jedes System hat irgendwo eine Schwachstelle.
Every system has a weak point somewhere.
To specify where the weak point is located, German usually uses the preposition 'in' (+ dative) for systems and concepts, or 'an' (+ dative) for concrete objects.
Die Schwachstelle in seinem Plan war die ungenaue Zeitangabe.
The weak point in his plan was the imprecise time estimate.
In a figurative sense, 'Schwachstelle' (weak point) is often used for plans or arguments. Typical phrases are 'eine Schwachstelle im Plan finden' (to find a weak point in the plan) or 'die Schwachstelle einer Argumentation aufdecken' (to reveal the weak point in an argument).
Der Detektiv fand schnell die Schwachstelle im Alibi des Verdächtigen.
The detective quickly found the weak point in the suspect's alibi.
In the field of IT and computer security, 'Schwachstelle' (vulnerability) is a key term. Typical collocations here include 'eine Schwachstelle schließen' (to close a vulnerability), 'eine kritische Schwachstelle' (a critical vulnerability), or 'eine Schwachstelle ausnutzen' (to exploit a vulnerability).
Das Software-Update schließt mehrere bekannte Schwachstellen.
The software update closes several known vulnerabilities.
mistake / error
'der Fehler' and 'die Schwachstelle' can both describe a flaw or a problem. 'Fehler' is more general: it can be a wrong action, an incorrect statement, or a defect in a device. 'Schwachstelle' more often means a specific point where something is not good enough and can therefore cause problems. This fits especially with plans, systems, buildings, or software. Learners may confuse the words because a weak point is often also a kind of error. As a practical rule: if something is simply wrong, you usually say 'Fehler'. If a specific point makes something unsafe, vulnerable, or unstable, 'Schwachstelle' is more precise.
Die alte Tür ist die Schwachstelle des Hauses, weil sie sich leicht öffnen lässt.
The old door is the weak point of the house because it is easy to open.
Im Bericht ist ein Fehler, deshalb muss Anna die Zahlen noch einmal prüfen.
There is an error in the report, so Anna has to check the figures again.