It is possible to prevent zero-day attacks? Protecting your business against the latest IT threats should always be a top priority. Updating your antivirus and patching your operating system is a great way to start to protect against emerging threats and zero days. What happens, however, when a threat appears at your door before security firms have had a chance to catch it?
Zero Day Attacks
A zero-day attack refers to a cyber-attack exploiting a vulnerability in software, hardware, or firmware that is unknown to those responsible for patching or fixing the flaw.
The term “Zero Day” implies that developers have zero days to address the vulnerability to prevent its exploitation. These attacks are particularly dangerous as they can go undetected until they are leveraged, offering the threat actor unfettered access to potentially sensitive data or systems.
What is a Zero-Day Attack vs. Zero-Day Vulnerability?
A security threat that exploits a previously undiscovered software vulnerability somewhere in the same computer system is known as a zero-day threat. The name “zero-day” is designed to imply how long since the vulnerability was discovered. The term also indicates that system developers have had zero days to fix it.
Zero-day attacks are vulnerabilities so new that security researchers and firms have never seen them before and have had zero days to fix them. Luckily, it is possible to lessen the chances of it impacting you or your business.
A zero-day attack is an attack that exploits a security vulnerability that has not been publicly disclosed. This means that the attacker knows about the vulnerability before the vendor or the general public does, giving them a window of opportunity to exploit it before a fix is released.
A zero-day vulnerability is a security hole in a computer program that the vendor or developer is not yet aware of. This means that there is no patch or fixes available, and the vulnerability can be exploited by attackers before it is fixed.
Zero Day Protection
Zero-day protection is a security measure that is designed to protect against zero-day vulnerabilities and one-day attacks. This can include things like keeping your software up to date, using security software, and avoiding clickbait and phishing attacks.
A zero-day virus is a type of malware that takes advantage of a zero-day vulnerability. This means that the attacker has found a way to exploit the security hole before the vendor or developer is aware of it. The zero-day malware virus can then spread and cause damage to the system.
A newly discovered attack might be packaged into a computer virus or worm. This will allow it to spread far and wide while inflicting the maximum amount of damage possible. When spread successfully, a new exploit has the potential to reach hundreds of thousands of computers before an operating system or anti-virus update can even be issued.
There are several ways we can protect your business or lessen the damage from a zero-day attack.
#1. Preventative security
The number one way to mitigate the damage from any attack on your system is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Maintaining a good firewall and up-to-date antivirus is the best step you can take to ensure the security of your system.
A firewall, monitoring incoming traffic in and out of your network, reduces the threat intelligence unauthorized entry over the network. Even without knowing the exact nature of the attack, suspicious activity traveling in and out of the system can be stopped.
The same is true of modern Antivirus. Even when it can detect malware but not identify the specific zero-day threat from its virus database; it can often identify malicious intent from learned behavior in the system.
Related: Protect Your Business with Cybriant’s IT Security Best Practices Checklist
#2. A Locked Down Network
Should a zero-day threat make it into your network, our next goal should be to limit its effects. By restricting user access to only essential files and systems we can limit the damage done to the smallest number of systems. A good security policy dictates that each account should only have full access to the systems needed to complete the user’s job. For example, users from the accounts department shouldn’t have access to sales department databases.
In this way, the damage of a single compromised account is limited to only the network area it operates in. Such limited impact should be easy to command and control the server and can be reversed with regular backups.
#3. Good Data backup
Whether your entire network has been exploited or only a small area has been affected; good data backups are your protection against major lasting damage. Having a good backup means having the procedures in place to both create regular backup copies and make sure they can be restored at a later date.
Reliable and well-tested backups are worth their weight in gold. Knowing your data is safe and your system can be recovered is peace of mind against even the most highly destructive of zero-day exploits and one-day attacks.
#4. Intrusion Protection
While the precise methods of a zero-day exploit can’t be known in advance, a network intrusion protection system (NIPS) can monitor the firms’ network for unusual activity.
The advantage of NIPS over a traditional antivirus-only system is it does not rely on checking software against a known database of threats. This means it does not make software vendors need updates or patches to learn about the latest attacks. NIPS works by monitoring the day-to-day patterns of network activity across the network.
When traffic or events far out of the ordinary are detected action can be taken to alert system administrators and lock down the firewall. Devices such as USB drives and mobile devices can all introduce threats to the network. They can often make it past the firewall because they are physically introduced to the system.
NIPS protects against threats introduced to the network from both external and internal sources.
When antivirus isn’t enough, consider MDR – Managed Detection and Remediation. Learn more here: https://cybriant.com/mdr/
#5. Full Cover Protection
Used in combination with these techniques, security teams can prevent, protect against zero days, and mitigate against the kinds of threats that even the top security firms haven’t patched yet. We think it’s important to keep your firm secure whatever it might come up against in the future. And, having security experts on hand 24/7 is a nice bonus.
Find out about all of our managed services here: https://cybriant.com/home/services/
How to Prevent Zero-Day Attacks
Zero-day attacks pose a significant threat to businesses, as they exploit vulnerabilities in operating systems that are unknown to the software developers. These attacks can result in sensitive data being stolen, leaving companies vulnerable to reputational damage and legal consequences.
To prevent zero-day attacks, businesses can turn to managed services. A Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) can help companies prevent attacks by continuously monitoring the network for any suspicious activity and promptly taking action to address any identified threats.
By partnering with an MSSP, businesses can ensure that they stay up-to-date with the latest security practices and technologies, reducing their risk of falling victim to a zero-day attack. As a trusted partner, an MSSP can help businesses stay ahead of the ever-evolving threat landscape and keep their networks secure.
Zero-Day Threats
To prevent zero-day attacks you need the power of a 24/7 security team. An MSSP can provide a suite of managed security solutions to help businesses stay secure, preventing zero-day attacks including continuous monitoring, automated patching, and vulnerability management.
Continuous Monitoring
Continuous monitoring helps identify potential threats before they can be exploited by an attacker. and patch management Automated patching ensures that any known security vulnerabilities are fixed as soon as possible, reducing the risk of being targeted by a zero-day attack. Vulnerability management helps identify any security weaknesses that could be exploited by a threat actor.
Security Training
The importance of regular training should not be overlooked, as it can help employees spot potential threats and take appropriate action to protect the company’s data. Regular penetration testing is also recommended in order to test the company’s defenses and ensure that any vulnerabilities are identified and addressed before they can be exploited.
Managed Security Solution
Overall, a comprehensive managed security solution can help businesses stay secure and reduce the risk of falling victim to a potential zero-day attack or one-day attack. With the right partner, businesses can ensure they are taking the necessary steps to protect their networks and data against cyber threats. By implementing a managed security strategy with an MSSP, organizations can rest assured that their data is safe and secure. This will help them remain competitive in today’s digital world, and ensure they are compliant with industry regulations.
By combining the power of an MSSP with a comprehensive security strategy, businesses can get the most out of their technology investments and stay ahead of potential threats. With the right partner, businesses can benefit from advanced security solutions that protect their networks, data, and customers. Having an MSSP as a partner allows businesses to focus on their core competencies while having the peace of mind that their security is being managed effectively. This is essential to remain competitive in today’s digital world and ensure they are compliant with industry regulations.
Zero Day Vulnerability Detection
If a zero-day or unknown vulnerability still exists in your network, it means your system is exposed to potential exploits that are not yet known to your security team or the software vendor. These unknown vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because there are no established defenses against them.
This emphasizes the importance of staying vigilant and implementing proactive measures. A robust security strategy should include regular system updates, comprehensive risk assessments, and the use of sophisticated detection tools that can identify unusual activities, indicating a serious attack surface and possible zero-day exploit.
Furthermore, maintaining an incident response plan ready for immediate deployment is crucial, as it ensures that any detected threats are swiftly isolated and mitigated, minimizing potential damage to affected parties.
Zero Day Attack Protection with CybriantXDR
CybriantXDR offers a combination of managed services including SIEM, MDR, and Vulnerability management that will help protect businesses from successful zero day exploit one-day attacks. CybriantXDR provides a platform for continuous monitoring, vulnerability scanning, and threat detection, allowing organizations to quickly identify and respond to any suspicious activity.
CybriantXDR’s SIEM enables customers to monitor their networks in real-time, detect abnormalities, and flag potential malicious activities before they become serious threats. What’s more, the platform utilizes AI-powered analytics to provide advanced threat detection and prevention capabilities. This helps businesses quickly detect malicious activities and zero-day threats before they cause significant damage.
CybriantXDR’s Vulnerability Management offering also provides customers with visibility into their system’s vulnerabilities, identifying where weaknesses exist that hackers exploit. This allows organizations to manage and remediate these serious security risks and gaps before they become a source of compromise.
Finally, CybriantXDR’s MDR offering provides immediate response when malicious activity is detected, allowing customers to mitigate serious threats with minimal disruption and cost. With powerful threat prevention capabilities and rapid detection and response times, CybriantXDR is the perfect solution for businesses seeking to effectively protect their networks from zero-day threats. By leveraging the power of its SIEM, MDR, and Vulnerability Management offerings, organizations can rest easy knowing that any potential cyber security threats are swiftly isolated and mitigated, minimizing potential damage.
CybriantXDR also offers 24/7 support services to help customers maintain a high level of cyber security protection. From regular monitoring to real-time incident response and remediation, CybriantXDR is dedicated to providing the best in cyber security protection. Additionally, their team of experienced professionals is available around the clock to provide customers with the support they need.
Conclusion
CybriantXDR provides comprehensive cyber security solutions for organizations of all sizes, helping them protect their networks, systems, and data from malicious actors. With advanced protection capabilities and rapid response times, customers can rest assured that their business is secure from even the most sophisticated cyber threats. With CybriantXDR, businesses can remain confident that their IT infrastructure is safe from zero-day attacks and other malicious activities.
Protect Your Business with Cybriant’s IT Security Best Practices Checklist
