Once the intruder has achieved exploit that weaknessit can gain privilege escalation and take control of the system, execute arbitrary code without the victim having control, expose personal data, or simply cause that computer to stop working normally.
Types of exploits
Keep in mind that not all exploits are the same. Although if all of them are going to take advantage of a failure, there are differences how are we going to see Sometimes that vulnerability will be known, other times not. It is also possible that the failure affects a device in one way or another.
Known vulnerability
First, there are exploits that are going to take advantage of a known vulnerability. In this case, security researchers already know about the problem and how this type of threat can act. It may be a problem that affects a program, a system such as Windows, the drivers of a network card, etc. They know the problem exists and there is already a solution for it.
If there is a solution, then what happens so that an exploit can attack? simply that the victim has not updated the team. For example, if Windows has a vulnerability and Microsoft has released updates, the user may not have installed them and their computer is still vulnerable.
A very clear example is EternalBlue exploit, which put many Windows devices around the world on the ropes. It took advantage of a security flaw in Windows and Microsoft quickly released patches to fix it. The problem is that thousands and thousands of computers have gone on for a long time without being updated and this has given rise to an attacker being able to sneak in ransomware and other threats.
zero day
A different case are zero-day exploits or also known simply as zero-day. This time it is a vulnerability, which can also affect an application, operating systems or drivers, which has not been identified. That is, the developers and manufacturers have not yet created a solution to the problem.
Cybercriminals get ahead of IT security and launch exploits as soon as they spot a problem. This makes it dangerous, since at least for a period of time the teams will be totally unprotected and can launch very different attacks.
Here comes into play speed of security researchers to cast a protection as soon as possible. The time it takes to release patches is going to be an opportunity for cybercriminals.
remote vulnerability
This type of vulnerability that an exploit can take advantage of does not depend exclusively on the device that they are attacking. It will be a fault that is present in something external, such as the network you are connected to. They are going to take advantage of it to gain control of that device.
It may happen that, for example, there is a vulnerable computer within the network where we are connected. Our team is protected, updated and secure on paper, but they are going to take advantage of a vulnerability present in another system to endanger our device.
local vulnerability
This time, the attacker needs there to be a security flaw in our team, on the device they intend to attack. It may be a vulnerability in Windows or in a program that we use, for example. That’s going to be the gateway you can use to take control.
However, it is possible that in order to exploit this vulnerability you previously had to use a remote. That would be the initial input, although later it would need another local failure to compromise the device.
How to avoid these attacks
After seeing how an exploit works and what types there are, we are going to give some essential tips to be protected. It is essential that you follow all these recommendations since the sum of all of them is what will really give you greater security and avoid problems.
Keep everything up to date
The most important thing of all is to always have the updated equipment correctly. We have seen exploits take advantage of vulnerabilities that, at least in many cases, are known and have patches available. Therefore, having the latest versions and correcting any problems is essential.
In the case of Windows, to make sure you have the latest version installed and are protected, you have to go to Start, enter Settings and go to Windows Update. Possible files that you have available to install will appear there. This will allow you to have all the necessary corrections.
The same should apply to the browser, network controller or any program you have installed. Vulnerabilities can appear at any time and you need to install them as soon as possible so that problems do not appear.
Use security software
Of course a good antivirus It is also essential to maintain security at all times. Many threats can appear, beyond exploits. You should always have tools that protect your computer and are capable of analyzing the system to detect and eliminate malware.
Windows Defender itself is a good option, but you will find a wide range of options, both free and paid. Avast or Bitdefender are some alternatives that you can consider. However, whichever one you use on your device, you must make sure that it works well and is guaranteed.
Create backups
One of the goals of hackers through exploits is to sneak in ransomware. This will allow an attacker to encrypt the computer’s files and ask for a ransom in exchange. It is undoubtedly one of the most important threats and we have seen cases such as WannaCry or NotPetya that have acted in this way.
What protection measure, creating backups is essential. It will allow files and documents to always be protected and you will prevent an intruder from causing data loss. You will always have a backup available in case you suffer an attack of this type.
Avoid making mistakes
But if there is something fundamental, it is the common sense. You should avoid making mistakes, such as installing unreliable applications, downloading files from unsafe sources, or opening links that come to you in the mail and you don’t really know who is behind that message and if it could be a trap.
Therefore, it is essential that you avoid making mistakes when browsing the Internet or using any device. This will help you avoid attacks derived from exploits and also any other threat that compromises the proper functioning of devices and systems.
In short, as you have seen, exploits are very important security threats. It is essential to always have your computers protected and security updates play a very important role here. In addition, there are different varieties and they can compromise your security and privacy.
