Arbitrary code execution
The ability to run commands or malicious code on an affected system, often because of a security vulnerability in the system’s software. Arbitrary code execution can be achieved either remotely or with physical access to an affected system (such as someone’s device). In the cases where arbitrary code execution can be achieved over the internet, security researchers typically call this remote code execution.
Often, code execution is used as a way to plant a backdoor for maintaining long-term and persistent access to that system, or for running malware that can be used to access deeper parts of the system or other devices on the same network.