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N-Day Vulnerabilities: The Real Cyberattack Engine
13 Feb
Summary
- Over 80% of exploited vulnerabilities are n-days, not zero-days.
- Time to exploit known flaws dropped from 745 days to 44 days.
- Attackers prioritize firewalls, VPNs, and edge devices.
New research reveals that known "n-day" vulnerabilities, rather than novel "zero-day" flaws, are the primary drivers of cyberattacks. An analysis of cybersecurity data indicates that over 80% of exploited vulnerabilities in the last four years were n-days, meaning they were already publicly known and patched.
This shift is underscored by a drastic reduction in the "Time to Exploit" (TTE). Six years ago, the average TTE was 745 days, offering defenders a significant window. However, last year, this gap compressed to just 44 days, demonstrating cybercriminals' swift exploitation of disclosed vulnerabilities.
Attackers are focusing their efforts on perimeter security technologies. These include firewalls, VPN gateways, and edge devices, which are perpetually internet-facing and represent a logical entry point for intrusions.
Nation-state actors remain prominent in these campaigns, with China identified as the most active country in exploiting vulnerabilities.
