Zero day Exploits are constantly gleaning the limelight of Cyber World. The rising number of Zero Day attacks apparently questions the operating system of being less effective and powerful. No wonder, Cyber-attacks are becoming more sophisticated and better at bypassing organizational defenses. These exploits are responsible for some of the most devastating cyber-attacks and hacks, and pose a genuine threat to your data and privacy. But what exactly is a zero-day exploit, what makes it so dangerous, and – most importantly – how can you protect yourself against it?
What is a Zero-Day Exploit?
Well, it’s all to do with the name itself “Zero day”. And for those who aren’t aware, Zero-Day exploit is a cyber-attack that occurs on the very same day when a weakness is discovered in a software. At that point, it’s exploited before a fix becomes available from its creator. Just like most of the criminal activities take place in the moonlight shadow while we’re all asleep, in the same way zero day exploits hit the software during its vulnerable state. A zero-day exploit leaves NO opportunity for detection at the first place.
Are you skilled enough to catch Zero-Day Exploits?
Researchers have claimed that a very few people have the skills to find exploitable zero-day vulnerabilities. That’s why they are so valuable! There are companies that buy 0-day exploits (so they can resell them to governments), and they have publicly offered millions of dollars for some types of zero day exploits.
5 ways to protect yourself from Zero day attacks!
The more you know about what’s out there regarding cyber-attacks, the better prepared you’ll be to detect and eliminate security breaches.
- Update your Operating System
Yep, it’s that old chestnut again. If your operating system is up to date, you’re already at an advantage. It will ensure you have the fix as soon as possible after it’s released which helps you get rid of potential malware attacks.
- Keep your Applications up-to-date
As long as those applications are installed on your personal computer, and the messages are genuine, take out time to update all the applications of your system to be able to stay on top of any risks.
- Antivirus Protector
A genuine and strong antivirus firewall is all you need. It adds an extra layer of protection and detects any oddly behaving applications on your system.
- Password Manager
We’ve seen again and again that users don’t know how to create a strong password that cannot be guessed easily. Making use of a password manager keeps all your password tied and encrypted at one place. If an operating system or browser ever gets exploited, you can at least be confident that your passwords cannot be accessed.
- Keep only those apps which you need
The less software you have vulnerable to zero-day attacks, the better. Un-install unnecessary browser plugins and extensions to avoid any potential threat in future.
See Also: The Evolution of Cyber Crime!
Cyber attackers are extraordinarily skilled, and their malware can go undetected on systems for months, and even years, giving them plenty of time to cause irreparable harm. So try and protect yourself wherever possible in whatever manner you can, to keep the hackers at bay.
Always Remember –Don’t Let your Guard down!