What is an Exploit in Cybersecurity?

If you don’t know an exploit is in cyber security, then this guide is for you. We go over popular examples of exploits, what exploit kits are, types of exploit attacks, and a lot more details.

Cybersecurity is an emerging sector where even a mouse click, a PDF download, or a ‘reply’ button can be lethal. Such are the rising cases of organizations facing exploits and losing crucial business data to hackers every day. Let’s imagine an exploit as a thief who possesses the master key that can be used to unlock any door in your home, in this case, confidential data of your organization. Attackers can, with little effort, climb through the back door or even a half-opened window without anyone knowing it. Since these backdoors are yet unknown, it becomes very difficult for businesses to ensure security. So, how can businesses protect themselves from such hackers who lurk with intent and wait for the opportune moment to steal?

In this guide, we will explore what exploits are in security, how they operate, the consequences of the attack to the user/organization, and ways to ensure that such thieves do not gain entry into your house again.

What is an Exploit in Security?

Exploits are pieces of code or programs that take advantage of system flaws and weaknesses in either software or hardware to invade the system and initialize attacks such as denial-of-service (DoS), viruses, or malware like ransomware, spyware, and worms. In other words, exploits are like delivery people, they deliver the malware or virus to the system to attack.

Impact of Exploitation in Cybersecurity

Exploits represent one of the major concerns in cybersecurity, with the potential to severely compromise an organization’s operations. They are surely capable of creating waves and sometimes disastrous ones across the systems and infrastructure, leading to a loss of organizations’ time, money, and customers.

These impacts can range from relatively trivial ones, such as data leakage, supply chain attacks, and zero-day exploits, to billions of dollars in losses. They may also lead to loss of customers, and investors’ confidence as well as negative PR for the organization.

Organizations must be aware of these key impacts of exploitation:

1. Breach of data: Exploits can lead to unauthorized access to the usual information, all databases, secrets, and all file systems.
2. System Compromise: Exploits can assist the hacker in gaining control of systems so that they can install backdoors for repeated access within an organization’s setting.
3. Network Invasion: Hackers can easily infiltrate a network and transition from one host to another, copy sensitive files, and prevent users from accessing certain files.
4. Financial loss: In terms of cost implications, two major cost aspects that potentially have long-term financial implications are direct and indirect costs. These costs are, for example, compensating someone for probing the exploit, paying for ransom for a ransomware attack, or spending on system recovery and improved security.
5. Privacy Breach: Some exploits could forward private data, thus resulting in privacy violations.
6. Service Disruptions: Exploits can lead to system malfunctions like slow performance, freezes, corrupted data, and other unusual activities, making it tough for organizations to operate or service their clients.

Definitions of Exploit 

Exploit meanings can vary depending on the business or security context you’re in. The basic exploit definition is that it’s a specific vulnerability or weakness. It’s something that can be taken advantage of to cause unintended behaviors and other disastrous events. 

Now, don’t confuse exploit with vulnerability. A vulnerability is an inherent flaw by default or design in the system or code. An exploit is a technique or tool used to leverage that flaw in the system. It’s like a vehicle used to deliver malware, like a ladder that’s used to reach an open window.

Types of Exploits

Organizations should be aware of different types of exploits that target various areas of their systems. These exploits range from hardware and software to personnel level.

1. Hardware

Hardware exploits are categorized into three types:

• Firmware attacks: Exploits vulnerabilities in the hardware device’s firmware.
• Side-channel attacks: Exploits gain information about a system’s physical characteristics, including power usage or electromagnetic leakage, to obtain sensitive data.
• Hardware trojans: Exploits introduce malicious changes to hardware components.

2. Software

Exploits take advantage of vulnerabilities in the system to run unauthorized code or to invade the system. Cybercriminals may use different types of exploits according to their objectives:

• Buffer overflow: Buffer overflow, also known as buffer overrun takes place when the amount of data in the buffer surpasses its storage limit. The excess data overflows into nearby memory regions, overwriting or corrupting the information.
• SQL injection: Known for being a popular method for web hacking, SQL injection can potentially wipe out an organization’s database by inserting malicious code into SQL statements through web page input.
• Zero-Day exploits Exploits undiscovered and unpatched vulnerabilities.

3. Network

Network exploits focus on vulnerabilities in network configuration or protocols. It allows unauthorized access, interception of data, or service disruption.

• Man-in-the-Middle (MitM): Interferes and alters the communication between two parties.
• Denial of Service (DoS): Overwhelms a network service to make it unavailable.
• Packet Sniffing: Captures and analyzes network packets.

4. Personnel

Personnel exploits manipulate human psychology to get access to confidential information.

• Phishing: Cybercriminals attempt to deceive individuals to get confidential data like passwords, usernames, and credit card information.
• Social Engineering: A tactic that’s widely used by attackers to manipulate or influence individuals, forcing or tricking them into giving away sensitive data.
• Insider threats: Exploits implemented by certain members of a company.

5. Physical Site

Attackers enter the physical area where there are servers and other hardware devices with the intent of tampering with the hardware and compromising security.

Some ways attackers can get to physical sites include:

• Tailgating: Gain access to unauthorized places by following someone who has access.
• Dumpster Diving: Retrieves important information from materials that have been discarded.
• Tamper of Physical devices: Manipulates physical devices or security protocols.

How does an Exploit work?

An exploit benefits from a system’s flaw or vulnerability to perform malicious actions. These systems could either be software, hardware, or a network, and the attacker delivers these exploits through malware and viruses.

Here’s a breakdown of how an exploit works:

1. Determine the Weakness: The attacker would attempt to find weaknesses–if any–in the targeted system. This could be either through extensive research, scanning or even buying confidential information on the dark web.
2. Create the exploit: The attacker begins creating or obtaining code that can get them to exploit that vulnerability. They would typically use methods like reverse engineering, or modifying an existing code.
3. Deployment of exploit: Once the code is ready, attackers deploy the code by sending it to the system that’s being targeted through phishing emails or network attacks.
4. Trigger the exploit: After the exploit has been successfully executed, the attackers trigger the vulnerability by manipulating the system in an unprecedented way.
5. Gaining control: A successful trigger of the exploit will execute a payload. These payloads could either be malware or commands that manipulate the system. In some malware cases, the attacker might attempt to spread the exploit to neighboring systems.
6. Maintain access: The attacker would consequently try to maintain their access using different ways such as creating new user accounts or installing backdoors for quick access.
7. Cover tracks: The attacker would then try to clear all traces of the exploit in a bid not to be easily caught.

History of Exploits 

Let’s explore the history of exploits. Here is how it all began and where it went:

The Early Pranks (1970s–1980s)

Hacking started with curiosity, not crime. In 1971, Bob Thomas wrote a program called Creeper. It was the first computer worm. It moved between computers on ARPANET and displayed a simple message: "I'M THE CREEPER: CATCH ME IF YOU CAN." It did not steal money or delete files. It just wanted to show it could travel.

Another early trick involved phones. John Draper, known as "Captain Crunch," found that a toy whistle from a cereal box played the exact tone needed to trick phone networks. By blowing this 2600 hertz tone, he could make free long-distance calls. This was "phreaking," the grandfather of modern software exploits.

The Internet Breaks (1988–1999)

Things got serious in 1988 with the Morris Worm. Robert Morris, a student at Cornell, wrote a program to measure the size of the internet. He made a mistake in the code. The worm installed itself on computers many times instead of once. It slowed the early internet to a crawl and caused real damage. This event woke everyone up. Security was no longer optional.

In 1996, a hacker named Aleph One changed the game. He published a paper called "Smashing the Stack for Fun and Profit." He explained how buffer overflows work. If you pour too much water into a cup, it spills. If you put too much data into a program's memory buffer, it spills over and overwrites other commands. Attackers could use this spill to run their own code. This paper taught a generation of hackers how to write exploits.

The Worm Era (2000s)

The new millennium brought fast-spreading worms. The ILOVEYOU virus in 2000 tricked millions. It came as an email attachment that looked like a love letter. When you opened it, it sent itself to all your contacts.

During this time, SQL Injection also became popular. Databases use SQL to manage data. Hackers realized they could type commands into website login boxes instead of names. If the site did not check the text, the database would run the hacker's command. This lets them dump user passwords and steal credit card numbers.

Cyber Weapons (2010–Present)

Exploits eventually turned into weapons. In 2010, Stuxnet was discovered. It did not just steal data. It targeted physical machines in an Iranian nuclear facility. The code made centrifuges spin too fast and break, while telling the monitoring systems that everything was fine. This was the first digital weapon to cause physical destruction.

Later, in 2017, the WannaCry ransomware attack used an exploit called EternalBlue. Hackers stole this tool from the NSA. It allowed malware to spread automatically through networks. It locked up hospitals, banks, and shipping companies worldwide, demanding payment to unlock files. This showed that government-grade tools could end up in the wild and be used as exploits too.

Why do Exploits Occur?

Exploits occur for several reasons. However, they mainly occur when an organization has bugs or an insecure system, if one is using an outdated system or improper configurations. Furthermore, it is also correct to assume that the mistakes that individuals make, for instance, being phished or failing to adhere to security best practices, should also be taken into consideration.

Exploits can occur due to various various: Here’s how and why:

1. Vulnerabilities in the Software: Coding mistakes or having unpatched software can lead to exploitation because it opens up the systems to cyber attacks.
2. Complex Systems: Although new-generation software is beneficial over traditional ones, they are usually integrated with other systems. Instead of making it easier to identify and rectify most of the common bugs and defects, this configuration poses a real challenge in this aspect.
3. Human Error: Of course, the most convenient form of attack for the attacker is through human contact with the system. They are capable of making people part with their personal and sensitive details. Furthermore, the individuals who are supposed to be in charge of managing the system may fail to embrace the software assurance measures, which allows for exploitation to occur.
4. Lack of Security Measures: Issues such as a poor standard of encryption or bad password protection may result in the exploitation of the system. Further, the absence of security features, including non-updated software or applications, also keeps the system vulnerable to other cyber attacks.
5. Inadequate Testing and Review: This means that insufficient or improperly conducted software testing and code reviews could result in the overlook of the defects and peculiarities of the system design.

How to Identify an Exploit Attack?

You can identify an exploit attack if you pay careful attention to things going on in and around your organization. Here are several areas you should focus on and how to identify an incoming exploit attack:

1. Unusual System Behaviour: An exploited system is slow; it tends to freeze or develop some technical glitches and more frequent appearance of ads or pop-ups.
2. Monitoring Network: There are abnormal network traffic patterns, an increase in communication traffic, and interactions with unfamiliar IP addresses.
3. Log Analysis: There are strange messages or codes in systems and application logs.
4. Behavior Analysis: The system’s behavior is not natural, or there are abrupt changes to the structures within the system. Some of the things that users can complain about include being locked out of their accounts, receiving odd emails, or being defrauded.
5. Unauthorized Attempts: Search for signs of intrusion, such as multiple failed login attempts with wrong passwords or unusual transactions.
6. Unknown Files and Activity: In case an exploit is executed then you may realize that there are other files and programs in the system besides those installed by the operating system. Some files can also be created, modified, and deleted, or even become corrupted without the administrator’s permission.

How to Prevent an Exploit Attack and Mitigate the Risk of Exploits?

To prevent an exploit attack and to mitigate the risks of it, organizations should adhere to the following best practices:

• Regular Software Updates: Ensuring that all operating systems, software, and apps are updated and that, where possible, automatic updates are enabled.
• Software and Network Security: When a suspicious activity has been detected in a network, make use of firewalls so as to filter network traffic and additionally install efficient antivirus/anti-malware applications to halt such activity. Similarly, choosing firewall design and enabling the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS), as well as the forming of network segments, aids in halting unwanted activity.
• Regular Backups: You can easily retrieve your data within a short period of time when you make routine backups of data and ensure that it is stored safely.
• Vulnerability Scans: As stated earlier, do regular vulnerability assessments and apply virtual patching where the actual patching cannot be done soon.
• Endpoint Protection: Strengthen the enforcement through prohibitions against other unwanted and unknown software and programs from running, as well as use regular updates of antivirus and anti-malware software programs.
• Data Encryption: Secure and protect important information and take strict measures for a key management system.
• User and Security Training: To increase the levels of awareness among the users, conduct annual security seminars for all employees and, for instance, perform fake drills or attacks with phishing e-mails.

What is an Exploit Kit?

Exploit Kits are toolkits that cybercriminals use to surreptitiously and unassistedly exploit vulnerabilities on victims’ computers when they are accessing the internet. These kits look for vulnerabilities in the software, infiltrate the system, and then dispense the malware.

Today, exploit kits are among the most frequently utilized methods by criminal groups to distribute malware or remote access Trojans in quantities, which has led to a decrease in the threshold for attackers.

Here’s a breakdown of how it works:

1. Hacked Website: The procedure begins with a compromised website. Visitors who appear on this website will be redirected to an attacker-controlled landing page or a website.
2. Landing Page: The landing page profiles the visitor’s device by using a code to find vulnerabilities like incorrect configurations and outdated versions of the software in browser-based programs.
3. Execution of Exploit: If a weakness has been found during this procedure, the exploit kit will automatically execute a malicious code on the targeted user device.
4. Exploit Delivery: Once the exploit has been successful, the kit delivers a payload such as ransomware or malware.

Popular Examples of Exploits

There are numerous well-known cases of cyber attacks that can be traced within the history of information security.

1. Heartbleed: This exploit occurred in 2014 and affected more than half a million websites leaving them open for data breaches. The reason? An overwhelming threat in OpenSSL Cryptographic software library. However, the exploit was patched by a code made by Bodo Moeller and Adam Langley (from Google) with measures such as properly validating the length of incoming Heartbeat messages.
2. Shellshock: The same year (2014), another event occurred, which may have caused even more confusion than Heartbleed did. A serious security flaw known as Shellshock was discovered in the Unix Bash shell. This vulnerability brought fear to users since it meant that hackers had an opportunity to perform illicit activities on devices such as web servers, computers, and gadgets that were directly connected to the internet. Thankfully, the exploit was immediately contained by the rolling out of the new patches. After that, Unix AND Linux released an update to the Bash shell that covered the vulnerability.
3. Petya/NotPetya: Petya, which later became known as NotPetya in June 2017, was one of the worst cyberattacks in the global market. The cyber-attack started in Ukraine and soon it escalated to the level where even governments and other institutions around the world were targets; the firms that were affected include FedEx, Maersk, and Saint-Gobain. At first, they believed it was ransomware, but later on, it was discovered that the malware was a wiper malware.

On different fronts, the exploit was eliminated with Microsoft releasing updates for EternalBlue, others ensured that they had formidable barriers in their network to prevent the spread of the malware and to rebuild their systems from backups.

Conclusion

So with that said, hopefully now you have a clear understanding of everything that goes on before the attacker can hijack your systems and spread malicious papers. It's crucial to note that to prevent yourself from becoming a victim or falling prey to these security threats, you have to take the right security measures. SentinelOne can help you on your journey and safeguard your entire infrastructure. Consult our team for more info.

You can prevent exploits by learning about them and understanding how they work. We've already given you a walkthrough of the different stages exploits go through before they can take control over your systems. You've learned about the different types of exploits, how exploit in cybersecurity works, and the differences between exploit and vulnerability exploitation. You also know what is a zero-day exploit and we've covered even exploit definitions and various exploit meanings. 

FAQs

What is Exploit in cyber security?

Exploits in cybersecurity are chunks of code or software that leverage a flaw or a vulnerability in a computer system to get access to confidential data with the intent of performing malicious actions.

What is the difference between exploit and vulnerability?

An exploit is a piece of code or a technique that allows an attacker to breach the security policy of whatever he/she is targeting. A vulnerability is a loophole, weakness, or flaw in the design and configuration of a computer system.

What is a zero-day exploit in cyber security?

A zero-day exploit takes advantage of flaws with either software or hardware that are yet to be fixed, meaning that they are not known to the product vendors. The cybercriminal should identify these weak points in the software before the vendors have managed to neutralize them, make the exploit functional, and utilize it in an attack.

What is a Computer Exploit?

A computer exploit is a piece of code or technique designed to break into a computer or network by exploiting a software flaw. When you run an exploit, it will target a specific weakness and try to gain access to your system. Common delivery methods include trojanized downloads, malicious attachments, and infected websites. 

The exploit will execute commands, steal data, or install malware like ransomware or spyware on your machine. You can protect your computer by running security software, applying updates regularly, and avoiding suspicious files or links.

Is Exploit Good or Bad?

Exploits themselves are neutral tools, but how they're used determines if they're good or bad. Security researchers and penetration testers will use exploits in controlled environments to test and improve security defenses. They will find vulnerabilities before attackers do. On the bad side, cybercriminals and hackers will use exploits to steal money, data, and access to systems. 

The difference comes down to intent and permission. If you have authorization to test systems with exploits, you're helping your organization defend itself. If you're breaking into systems without permission, you're committing a crime.

What is the Difference Between Attack and Exploit?

An attack is the broader action of trying to harm a system or steal information. An exploit is a specific tool or method used during that attack. Think of an attack as the entire robbery and an exploit as the lock pick the criminal uses. You can conduct an attack using multiple exploits, phishing, social engineering, or other methods all at once. An exploit is more technical and precise, targeting code vulnerabilities. 

An attack might start with a phishing email that delivers an exploit, which then installs ransomware that encrypts your files—that whole process is one coordinated attack using various techniques.