zero-day

adj.

1. Relating to a computer security vulnerability that is exploited before the vulnerability is known to security experts. 2. Relating to information obtained or discovered before it is publicly available.

Also: zero day, 0day.

Example Citations:

Security and vulnerability tracking companies' reactions were more dramatic: they immediately raised alert levels, both because the flaw was an unpatched "zero-day" bug, and also because exploits were already out and about. Danish security company Secunia, for instance, tagged the new flaw as "Extremely critical," its highest warning; Symantec, meanwhile, gave it a rating of 9.4 on its 10-point scale for vulnerability alerts.

— Gregg Keizer, "Attackers Exploit New Zero-Day Windows Bug," InformationWeek, December 28, 2005

Some vendors say they're doing the industry a service by paying others to uncover vulnerabilities, presumably removing software bugs. I agree it's a good thing not to have researchers posting harmful zero-day exploits on the Internet without giving the affected vendor time to address the issue. I also agree it's a good idea for security vendors to collect zero-day information so they can provide preemptive protection capabilities to their products. But these ends are better achieved through controlled research within reputable and established security research organizations.

— Christopher Rouland, "It's NOT ethical for security companies to buy vulnerability information," Network World, September 12, 2005

Earliest Citation:

"Hackers raise the bar for security and find holes that wouldn't otherwise be found," said Kent Browne of Condemned.org, a group of volunteer hackers that target child pornography sites. Browne said even the best intrusion detection tools identify only about 50 per cent of these exploits. The so-called zero day exploit list, which is circulated between elite hackers, features a minimum of 100 fresh vulnerabilities a week, he claimed.

— "We're the good guys' claim hackers," VNU Newswire, April 13, 2000

Related Words:

digital pathogen

duvet day

malware

shorticulture day

targeted Trojan horse

Categories:

Data

Hacking and Hackers

Privacy and Security