What kind of vulnerabilities can arise from improper error handling in applications?

Improper error handling in applications can indeed lead to exposing sensitive data through error messages. When an application encounters an error, it often provides feedback to the user or logs error messages for developers to diagnose issues. If these error messages are not carefully constructed, they may unintentionally disclose sensitive information such as database query results, system paths, user credentials, or other confidential data. This exposure can be exploited by attackers to gain insight into the application’s architecture and vulnerabilities, potentially allowing them to execute further attacks or gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information.

The other options relate to issues within software and system management, but they do not directly correlate with vulnerabilities from error handling. Delaying software updates can impact overall security but does not stem from error message-handling practices. Reducing system performance may arise from various factors within the application's design or handling, but it is not a direct consequence of improper error management. Lastly, restricting user login attempts pertains to authentication mechanisms and is unrelated to error handling vulnerabilities.