Defining the Zero-Day Threat #
The term “Zero-Day” refers to the “zero days” a developer has to fix a vulnerability once it is discovered and actively exploited in the wild.
-
The Window of Exposure: This window, often lasting days or weeks, is when applications are most vulnerable, as they are unpatchable by traditional means.
-
High Stakes: Zero-Day attacks are frequently used to target high-profile organizations because of their novelty and high success rate.
The Power of Virtual Patching #
Virtual Patching is the defense mechanism used by the WAF:
-
Interception: The WAF intercepts all traffic before it reaches the vulnerable application.
-
Rule Implementation: Security analysts rapidly write and deploy new rules to the WAF that specifically identify the unique signature of the Zero-Day exploit.
-
Protection: The rule blocks the malicious input, effectively “patching” the flaw at the perimeter until the application vendor releases a permanent code update.
