Zero-day Vulnerabilities
(OBJ 2.3)
Zero-day Vulnerabilities
- Discovered or exploited before vendors issue patches
- Extremely destructive
- Example:
- Flaw in the Windows OS without Microsoft being aware of that vulnerability
- "I found a new way to break into something"
Zero-day Exploits
- Attacks that target previously unknown vulnerabilities
- Any unknown exploit in the wild that exposes a previously unknown vulnerability in the software or hardware
Zero-day
- Refer to the vulnerability, exploit, or malware that exploits the vulnerability
- Attack actually happens on day zero, or the first day that this malicious code is being discovered.
- In Zero-days, your system can be vulnerable for days, weeks, years since not even the developer knows about it
Zero-Day Exploits and Value
- Zero-day exploits are significant in the cybersecurity world and can be lucrative
- Zero-day malware is a major threat
- Cost a lot of money and a lot of time to develop
- Bug bounty hunters can earn money by discovering zero-day vulnerabilities
- Zero-days are also sold to government agencies, law enforcement, and criminals on the dark web
- Sell for thousands, and millions of dollars
- Threat actors save zero-days for high-value targets, using generic malware for initial attempts
- An up-to-date antivirus can detect known vulnerabilities' exploitation
- Countries and nation states may stockpile zero-days for espionage and strategic operations