You are now entering the PC Anatomy portal

A zero-day exploit is a cyberattack that uses an unknown software vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to a system, typically by a malicious actor who discovers the flaw before the vendor does. The "zero-day" term signifies that the software developers have had zero days to fix the vulnerability before it is exploited, making attacks especially dangerous as there is no patch available to stop them.

Vulnerability: A zero-day vulnerability is a security flaw in software, hardware, or firmware that is unknown to the public and the vendor. These can be caused by coding errors or inadequate security practices during development.

Exploit: The zero-day exploit is the weapon, like malware or a script, that an attacker creates to take advantage of this vulnerability.

Attack: A zero-day attack is the execution of the exploit, which can lead to consequences like data breaches, financial loss, or the compromise of critical infrastructure.

The danger: The primary danger is the lack of immediate protection. While the vendor races to create a patch, attackers can use the exploit freely and often stealthily for a period of time.

After discovery: Once the vulnerability is discovered and a patch is released, it is no longer considered a zero-day threat.