A exploit It is one of the many security threats that can affect the operation of our systems. It is important to be protected and have everything you need so that hackers do not have the facility to launch attacks of this type. In this article we are going to talk about how it works, how it can affect us and what we must do to improve security and prevent it from compromising systems.

What does an exploit consist of and how does it work

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We can say that an exploit is a script that will take advantage of a failure in a system or software. You will use a security hole that has not been corrected so that the attacker can sneak malicious software, steal passwords, or take control of that affected computer.

Basically what an exploit does, or the attacker who uses it, is search for vulnerabilities. They may be known security flaws and for which patches are available but that system is not up to date, but also bugs that are not known and for which there is still no solution.

The attacker is going to use that vulnerability as if it were a back door to gain control of the team. There is a difference from malware, since in this case it is not malicious software as such, but a sequence that will allow something to be exploited to achieve the objective of attacking. It is something like a key to open the door to a cybercriminal.

Once the intruder has succeeded exploit that weakness, you can get an escalation of privileges and take control of the system, execute code arbitrarily without the victim being in control, expose personal data or simply make that equipment stop working normally.

Types of exploits

Keep in mind that not all exploits are the same. Although they are all going to take advantage of a failure, they exist differences as we will see. Sometimes that vulnerability will be known, others instead not. The failure may also affect one device or another.

Known vulnerability

First, there are the exploits that are going to take advantage of a known vulnerability. In this case, security investigators already know the problem and know how this type of threat can act. It may be a problem that affects a program, a system such as Windows, a network card drivers, etc. They know that 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, in case Windows has a vulnerability and Microsoft has released updates, the user may not have installed them and their computer remains vulnerable.

A very clear example is the exploit EternalBlue, which put many Windows devices around the world on the ropes. It was taking advantage of a security flaw in Windows and Microsoft quickly released patches to correct it. The problem is that thousands and thousands of computers have long remained outdated and that has resulted in an attacker being able to strain ransomware and other threats.

Day zero

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 controllers, which has not been identified. In other words, developers and manufacturers have not yet created a solution to the problem.

Cybercriminals get ahead of computer security officers and launch exploits as soon as they detect a problem. This makes it dangerous, as at least for a period of time the teams are going to be totally unprotected and can launch very diverse attacks.

Here comes into play the speed of security investigators to launch protection as soon as possible. The time it takes to launch 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 they are attacking. It will be a failure that is present in something external, such as the network on which it is connected. They are going to take advantage of it to take 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 on paper, but they will take advantage of a vulnerability present in another system to put our device at risk.

Local vulnerability

This time, the attacker needs a security breach in our team, on the device they intend to attack. It can be a vulnerability that exists in Windows or in some program that we use, for example. That is going to be the driveway you can use to take control.

However, you may have had to use a remote one to take advantage of this vulnerability previously. That would be the initial input, although it would later need another local failure to compromise the device.

How to avoid these attacks

After seeing how an exploit works and what types there are, let's give some essential advice 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 updated

The most important thing of all is to always have the updated team correctly. We have seen that exploits take advantage of vulnerabilities that, in at least many cases, are known and have patches available. Therefore, having the latest versions and correcting any problem is essential.

In the case of Windows, to make sure you have the latest version installed and you are protected, you have to go to Home, you enter Configuration and you are going to Windows Update. Possible files that you have available to install will appear there. This will allow you to have all the necessary corrections.

You must apply the same 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 no problems appear.

Use security programs

Of course, a good antivirus It is also essential to maintain security at all times. Many threats can appear, beyond the exploits. You should always have tools that protect your computer and are able to analyze 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 take into account. However, whatever you use on your device, you must make sure that it works well and is warranted.

Create backups

One of the targets of hackers through exploits is to strain a ransomware. That will allow an attacker to encrypt the team's files and ask for a financial ransom in return. It is undoubtedly one of the most important threats and we have seen cases like WannaCry or NotPetya that have acted in this way.

As 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 of 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 applications that are not reliable, download files from unsafe sources or open links that reach you by 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 the equipment protected and security updates play a very important role here. In addition, there are different varieties and they can compromise your security and privacy.