Zero-Day Threat

This post is a continuation of my previous note on "Zero Day Virus" featured in one of my terms of the day.

What does Zero-Day Threat mean?

A zero-day threat is a threat that exploits an unknown computer security vulnerability. The term is derived from the age of the exploit, which takes place before or on the first (or “zeroth”) day of a developer’s awareness of the exploit or bug. This means that there is no known security fix because developers are oblivious to the vulnerability or threat.

Attackers exploit zero-day vulnerabilities through different vectors. Web browsers are the most common, due to their popularity. Attackers also send emails with attachments exploiting software attachment vulnerabilities.

A zero-day threat is also known as a zero-hour attack or day-zero attack.

 

Zero-Day Threat

Zero-day exploits are often put up by renowned hacker groups. Typically, the zero-day attack exploits a bug that neither developers, nor the users, know about. Indeed, this is exactly what the malicious coders anticipate. By discovering a software vulnerability before the software's developers do, a hacker can make a worm or virus that can be used to exploit the vulnerability and harm computers.

Not all zero-day attacks actually take place before the software developers discover the vulnerability. In certain cases, the developers discover and understand the vulnerability; however, it may take some time to develop the patch to fix it. Also, software makers may occasionally postpone a patch release to avoid flooding users with several individual updates. If the developers find that the vulnerability is not extremely dangerous, they may decide to postpone the patch release until a number of patches are collected together. Once these patches are collected, they are released as a package. However, this strategy is risky because could invite a zero-day attack.

Zero-day attacks occur within a time frame, known as the vulnerability window. This extends from the first vulnerability exploit to the point at which a threat is countered. Attackers engineer malicious software (malware) to exploit common file types, compromise attacked systems and steal valuable data. Zero-day attacks are carefully implemented for maximum damage - usually in the span of one day. The vulnerability window could range from a small period to multiple years. For instance, in 2008, Microsoft revealed an Internet Explorer vulnerability that infected a few versions of Windows released during 2001. The date in which this vulnerability was initially discovered by the attacker is unknown, but the vulnerability window in such a case might have been as much as seven years.

Posted by: Cory Janssen

Zero Day Virus

Defining the Term:

A zero day virus is a malicious software program that is not documented prior to a given day, according to Techopedia.com. When the virus is officially recognized and identified by an organization in the anti-virus community, it becomes a zero day virus. Professionals use zero day as the benchmark for responding to a computer virus.

Zero Day Virus

A zero day virus has a particular application to the anti-virus industry. Anti-virus software makers work from specific key principles, including the need to protect their clients from as wide a range of viruses as possible, and to limit, as well as mitigate, cyberattacks. This is a very competitive metric within the industry, as business/government clients and individuals seek to obtain the best anti-virus protection for their networks.

One problem with a zero day virus is that because it is not previously documented, it does not have a signature. Signatures involve reviewing the method and coding of a virus to anticipate and protect systems against the virus. One method of working against zero day viruses is the heuristic anti-virus method, which, using experience-based analysis, looks at other factors besides a signature for a virus to try to predetermine what a system needs protection against and what might be a virus.

Via: Cory Janssen

How to Print from a Smartphones/Tablets device with Google's Cloud Print

Having difficulties with printing from your smartphones or tablet devices is one of the

daily workflow load faced by almost of its users.

But in actual fact, using these devices doesn’t mean you can’t print with the level at which technology has reached.

In a few easy steps, I"ll be showing you how you can set up Google Cloud Print to print from just about any mobile device.

Firstly;you need to do is sit down at a desktop or laptop that’s already connected to a printer. 

Then secondly, Sign into your Chrome browser and go to the Cloud Print page to set up the printers and mobile devices so they match your preferences.

Thereafter, get hold of your Android device, go to Google Play and download Cloud Print. It’s a free app. (For iOS users, there are apps out there for you, too—this Macworld video looks at using Printopia to print from you iPhone or iPad.) Once you’re in Cloud Print, you can open something in Google Drive, Dropbox, Google Calendar, or even Mail and send it to the printer that’s linked to your desktop or laptop.

If you want to print a Web page, it’s easy: Just go to the Web page, click share, and send it to Cloud Print. You’ll find that document waiting for you on the printer in no time.
Catch More fuuuunnnn as you print....