How do you fix something if you aren’t aware that it’s broken? This is the problem that zero-day vulnerabilities pose. These invisible threats often lead to data breaches and theft, so it’s critical to understand what they are and how they can be prevented. In this article, you’ll learn what zero-day attacks are and how Summit IT experts help Northeast Ohio companies avoid them.
What Is a Zero-Day Attack?
A zero-day attack is a cyberattack that targets a zero-day vulnerability, which is a software flaw the developer has not caught. Hackers can easily exploit these vulnerabilities and gain access to sensitive data. They’re called zero-day attacks because the developer has known about the flaw for zero days (and has zero days to fix it).
Due to their nature, zero-day attacks can’t be stopped – they can only be remedied. This makes them especially scary for organizations with lots of confidential information.
Once a developer or researcher sees that a zero-day attack has happened, they share that information publicly. At this point, users are informed that their data might be compromised and given next steps to take. Simultaneously, the developer works to patch the vulnerability and mitigate the damage from the attack. The faster the developer can fix the vulnerability, the less data can be stolen.
What Is an Example of a Zero-Day Attack?
One famous example of a zero-day attack is the 2014 Sony hack that leaked data including employees’ emails, family information, and salaries as well as unreleased films and business plans. While this is an extreme example of a zero-day attack, it demonstrates how damaging these attacks can be.
Who Is Most at Risk for Zero-Day Attacks?
Some businesses are considerably more at risk for zero-day attacks. Here are a few of the major business types commonly targeted by zero-day attackers:
Companies without robust IT departments
Any company that lacks a well-equipped, fast-responding managed IT department is at higher risk for zero-day attacks. A dedicated and experienced IT team is critical for spotting vulnerabilities early and mitigating damage if they happen. Otherwise, it’s highly likely that zero-day vulnerabilities will arise and be taken advantage of.
Organizations with outdated systems
Running older software can also increase your risk of zero-day attacks. This is especially true if the software is no longer supported by the developer or if you’re running an older version when a newer one is available. Since older software isn’t being updated, it remains an easy target for hackers.
Government agencies and private businesses
As a rule of thumb, any organization with large amounts of confidential data is a prime target for zero-day attacks. Government agencies, health insurance companies, and financial institutions are just a few of these at-risk organizations.
Large enterprises
Hackers often go after large companies with massive amounts of customer or client information. Typically, the bigger a business is, the more at risk it is.
Identifying Zero-Day Vulnerabilities
Avoiding zero-day attacks requires a proactive approach of seeking out vulnerabilities in software before they can be exploited. Here are a few ways your IT team and/or development team will look for these flaws:
- Vulnerability scanning consists of developers analyzing code and testing systems for mistakes and loopholes.
- Bug bounty programs reward individuals for catching exploits and reporting them to the organization.
- Threat intelligence monitoring involves following external cybersecurity researchers who find and communicate vulnerabilities.
- Behavior-based and signature-based detection identify potential threats based on patterns of suspicious behavior.
Mitigating the Risk of a Zero-Day Attack
Once a zero-day attack has been launched, it’s up to the IT or development team to fix it and reduce the damage as much as possible. Thankfully, today’s technology makes this easier than ever. Industry best practices include:
- Patch management is a formal process development teams follow to create and deploy software patches and/or hotfixes.
- Zero trust architecture uses continual authentication (like two-factor) to stop bad actors from breaching sensitive information.
- Network segmentation involves isolating the compromised systems until they’re repaired.
Protecting Yourself and Your Business from Zero-Day Attacks
With all of this in mind, you might be wondering what you as the user can do to prevent and respond to zero-day attacks. Ultimately, the best way to prevent zero-day exploits is to partner with a deeply capable IT team that can quickly catch and repair vulnerabilities.
If a zero-day attack occurs, your IT team should notify you as soon as possible. You’ll then be instructed on what to do next, whether that’s changing a password or alerting your bank. In addition, your IT people should give you a roadmap for how they’ll improve their zero-day protection going forward.
Stay Ahead of Zero-Day Attacks with Ongoing Managed IT Services
They say prevention is the best medicine, and that’s true for zero-day attacks. If you need an eagle-eyed IT team to safeguard your Northeast Ohio company from these exploits, reach out to us for a free consultation.