Zero-day flaw
Alternatively referred to as zero-day exploit or 0-day, a zero-day flaw is any exploit in an operating system, software program, or hardware device that is taken advantage of on the same day it is discovered. These flaws become known to the public when a malware program exploits the flaw and compromises the product, the computer, or the network connected to the computer. Because the company is not prepared with a fix, these exploits can cause serious issues and keep a system vulnerable until the company releases a solution to the issue.
It can be difficult for companies to guard against a zero day exploit, but the best options for helping to protect against these occurrences include using an intrusion detection system, setting up network access control to prevent unauthorized computers from accessing a network and using Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA or WPA2) security on wireless networks.
Additional Information
- How does a computer get infected with a virus or spyware?
- How can I protect myself while online?
- 7 Lessons: Surviving a Zero-Day Attack
Also see: Security definitions, ZERT