Securing Business Emails Against Zero-Day Attack

You may be overly protective of your company's sensitive files and make copies of them in case they get compromised somehow. But that does not stop cyber threats known as zero-day attacks from hiding in your computer for months until the execution time is perfect. Corrupting all your files and copies in the process, zero-day attacks specifically exploit vulnerabilities cyber criminals discover before the software developers do so.

Hence its name. Developers have absolutely zero days. To develop fixes for the vulnerabilities upon realization. Zero day attacks are usually carried out via email, enabling attackers to infiltrate corporate networks and either attack immediately or sit and wait for the optimal time to do so, which makes them often occur with without users' knowledge and can carry hefty costs for organizations in the form of lost productivity.

Data theft system, downtime, reputation damage, and regulatory actions. When it comes to defending against advanced digital threats, such as zero day attacks, knowledge is power. So let Guardian digital educate you on the six phases of a zero day attack, phase one looking for vulnerabilities. Attackers begin by looking for unknown or unaddressed vulnerabilities to exploit searching for bugs in code, experimenting with popular applications.

Or even purchasing vulnerabilities on the black market. A part of the internet use for illegal trading if attackers choose not to find the vulnerabilities themselves. Phase two, exploit code created. Cybercriminals now develop technical means to exploit the vulnerability they found or bought, such as a malware program.

Some common vulnerabilities exploited. Are poorly written code unencrypted data, or weak password security in the software. Phase three affected systems identified now that they have identified a vulnerability to exploit and created the exploit code to do so, threat actors identify operating systems impacted by this vulnerability using methods such as bots or automated scanners, for example.

Some software vulnerabilities may only impact Apple Mac os. So Microsoft Windows and Linux users would be ineffective targets for those specific zero day attacks.

Having an email security solution capable of identifying and intercepting zero day attacks and other malicious threats in real-time can mitigate risk and provide you. And your organization with peace of mind. Guardian Digital OnGuard Cloud email security makes email safer business, leveraging technology that proactively learns and distributes defenses for the specific threats targeting your company along with the expert ongoing system management required to keep your business secure.

Phase four. Planning attackers now determine the best way to penetrate vulnerable systems. Most often leveraging phishing campaigns that deceive users and to sharing sensitive information for downloading malware to do so. Phase five infiltration when the victim falls for the deceptive scam. Malicious actors are able to infiltrate the perimeter defenses of an organization or a personal device.

Phase six, attack launched once inside an organization. Or device's perimeter defenses, attackers are now able to execute code remotely on the compromised device to perform malicious actions. The code is designed by the attacker to do such actions as stealing sensitive data that could be monetized for personal gain.