Zero-Day Vulnerability

A zero-day vulnerability refers to a security flaw or bug in a software or hardware system that is unknown to the party responsible for fixing it, such as the software developer or vendor. Because the vulnerability is undiscovered by the vendor, there is "zero days" for them to patch it before it can be exploited. These vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because attackers can exploit them before they are publicly known or mitigated.

Key points about zero-day vulnerabilities:

1. Exploitability: Once attackers discover a zero-day vulnerability, they can use it to gain unauthorized access, steal data, or cause harm to the system.
2. Lack of Defense: Since the vendor isn't aware of the flaw, there is no patch or defense mechanism in place to protect users from the exploit.
3. Duration: The time between the discovery of the vulnerability and its patch is called the "zero-day window." The shorter this window, the less time attackers have to exploit the flaw.
4. Types of Attacks: Zero-day vulnerabilities can be used in a variety of cyberattacks, such as malware injection, data breaches, or denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.

Zero-day exploits are highly valued in the cybersecurity world and are often sold on the dark web or used by hackers, state-sponsored actors, or cybercriminal groups.