What is a zero-day attack and how does it exploit unknown software vulnerabilities? Learn how zero-day attacks work, why they’re dangerous, and how they differ from other cyber threats—essential for CompTIA Security+ (Plus) SY0-701 exam success.
Table of Contents
Question
A penetration tester successfully gains access to a system by exploiting a vulnerability that was unknown to the software vendor. What type of attack was performed?
A. Man-in-the-middle attack
B. Brute-force attack
C. Trojan horse attack
D. Zero-day attack
E. Denial-of-service attack
Answer
D. Zero-day attack
Explanation
A zero-day attack exploits a previously unknown vulnerability before a patch is available.
When a penetration tester gains access to a system by exploiting a vulnerability that was unknown to the software vendor, this is called a zero-day attack.
Detailed Explanation:
A zero-day attack targets a software vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor or developer, meaning there is no patch or fix available at the time of exploitation.
The term “zero-day” refers to the fact that the vendor has had zero days to address or patch the vulnerability since its discovery.
Attackers exploit these vulnerabilities before developers become aware of them, making such attacks highly effective and difficult to defend against.
Zero-day exploits are particularly dangerous because traditional security tools and defenses are not prepared for them, and affected organizations have no warning or available remedies at the time of the attack.
Once the vulnerability is discovered by the vendor and a patch is released, the exploit is no longer considered a zero-day, but until then, attackers have a significant advantage.
A zero-day attack exploits a previously unknown vulnerability before a patch is available, making it one of the most serious and difficult-to-defend cyber threats.
CompTIA Security+ (Plus) SY0-701 certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the CompTIA Security+ (Plus) SY0-701 exam and earn CompTIA Security+ (Plus) SY0-701 certification.