The presence of vulnerabilities in modern information systems poses a serious threat to business security. Each vulnerability detected can become an entry point for intruders. Understanding vulnerabilities and methods for detecting them is important for any business, as it allows achieving compliance in cyber security and ensuring security for the future.
What Is Vulnerability?
A vulnerability is a weak point in software, hardware, or security protocols. Vulnerabilities can be caused by a variety of things, including programming errors, design flaws, misconfiguration, and human error.
When talking about cybersecurity threats, it is important to understand the differences between a vulnerability, an exploit, and an attack.
A vulnerability is just a potential threat that exists only until it is fixed. Vulnerabilities exist in any system, the only question is how interested outsiders are in using the gap.
An exploit is a computer code or program that takes advantage of a vulnerability while it exists. Hackers usually have a time advantage. It is often easier and faster to write malicious code than to develop an update that will fix the vulnerability.
An attack is the direct application of an exploit to a vulnerable system. The attack can continue for as long as necessary until the consequences become noticeable.
Types of Vulnerabilities
A remote code execution vulnerability is a vulnerability that allows hackers to execute malicious code on a system. A hacker executes an exploit on a website that is hosted on a server and thus gains access to the computer.
On the server, attackers can steal confidential data, install malware, and perform other actions that will harm the system. For example, change prices in an online store, at which expensive goods can be bought for pennies. Or steal secret documents about a planned merger of a company with another and crash the stock exchange.
A SQL injection vulnerability is a vulnerability that allows an attacker to control a database from the outside to gain access to it. This happens like this: a hacker selects a request to an interface, most often to a website, in response to which the database gives some information or performs some actions with it, for example, copies or deletes it. Most often, this is how fraudsters obtain the personal data of users of a website, service, or system.
An unauthorized access vulnerability is a security threat caused by the fact that outsiders can gain access to the equipment or data management interface. In this way, attackers can penetrate a server or database almost directly. For example, in this way, they can hack a website and post their content on it.
Such vulnerabilities appear due to weak passwords, as well as in situations where employees or contractors are given a higher level of access than necessary. If access is abused, this can lead to bad consequences.
Malware
Malware is an exploit, i.e. malicious code that comes via email or can be on a flash drive. When a user clicks on a link in the text or opens a file attached to an email or stored on a flash drive, the hacker gains access to the user’s computer or even the entire local network.
There are statistics that 80% of cyberattacks are carried out using malware. The reasons can be different, but mainly this happens due to low computer literacy of employees, gullibility of people, and weak system security.
Zero-Day Vulnerabilities
Zero-day is the day when a vulnerability that hackers have already used becomes known. It turns out that the vulnerability is critical and developers have 0 days to fix it, for example, write a patch that will close the hole in the system. At the same time, it is necessary to warn everyone at risk so that the security fix is implemented as soon as possible.
How to Protect Yourself From Vulnerabilities?
You need to protect yourself from any vulnerabilities in a comprehensive manner — one measure is not enough. It is impossible to prevent vulnerabilities completely, but some actions can help reduce the risk.
Since even ordinary home computers and networks can be targeted, let’s start with them. Here’s what we recommend doing:
- Practice digital hygiene (do not visit suspicious sites, do not download or open suspicious files).
- Regularly update your software (operating systems, programs, and plugins should be updated to the latest versions). Developers often release patches and updates to close already discovered holes.
- Use only programs from trusted manufacturers and install them only from official sources.
- Use a firewall (this program checks and filters incoming traffic, blocking attacks at the entrance).
- Use an antivirus (this program studies the behavior of other programs in the system and can identify potentially malicious actions and block what is doing them). If the virus database contains information about a specific threat, the antivirus will recognize it without fail.
- Regularly back up your data (if something happens to it, it can be restored).
Companies usually take the following additional measures:
- Limit user rights to work on their computer so they cannot install third-party programs.
- Limit user access to files and systems that they need for work – for example, so that accounting staff do not have access to sales department databases.
- Segment the network so that in the event of an attack, damage can only spread to certain parts of it.
- Use intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS). Such systems monitor all network traffic, including outgoing and within the network, and can recognize suspicious or malicious activity. If something is detected, the system blocks access or warns of a potential attack. IDS/IPS will prevent the exchange of malicious files on the local network. Such systems will also prevent viewing and downloading suspicious pages and files from devices connected to the corporate Wi-Fi network.
- Regularly send employees of the information security department for training in working with the tools deployed in the network and advanced training courses.
- Use vulnerability scanners.
- Regularly conduct security checks and penetration testing. Pentesters do this.
All these actions allow companies to achieve cybersecurity compliance.
Final Thoughts
Vulnerability protection requires a comprehensive approach from businesses, which includes regular software updates, network activity monitoring, and penetration testing. Eliminating vulnerabilities helps companies not only protect their digital resources but also achieve compliance in cybersecurity. If you want to conduct mobile or web penetration testing, we recommend paying attention to the ImmuniWeb AI platform, which has more than 1,000 clients in 50 countries.