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Cracks in the Code: Zero‑Day Risks Every Leader Should Know

What you need to know: 

A zero‑day is an unknown, unpatched flaw attackers exploit before vendors can issue fixes. Weaponisation timelines have compressed; attackers increasingly target security and networking infrastructure; and traditional monthly patch cycles often leave an “exposure gap.” The right response blends visibility, compensating controls, vendor coordination, and practiced decision‑making — not just faster patching.

What is Zero Day Vulnerability?

A zero‑day vulnerability is a software, hardware, or firmware flaw that is unknown to the vendor or for which no patch is available. When exploited in the wild, it gives attackers a period of unmitigated access—“zero days” of vendor warning—during which defenders must detect and contain activity without relying on vendor fixes or signature‑based detection.

To put it simply…

Think of your organization as a city: servers and apps are buildings, networks are roads, and security appliances are gates. A zero‑day is a hidden crack in a foundation or an unmarked backdoor in a gate. An intruder who finds it can move between buildings and set up operations before maintenance crews even know to look. You wouldn’t rely only on scheduled inspections for a city — you’d install alarms, segment neighborhoods, and keep rapid repair teams on call. Treat zero‑day risk the same way.

Why It Matters Globally

Zero‑days aren’t rare anymore—they’re becoming the new normal.

  • Weaponisation is accelerating. Google’s Threat Intelligence Group tracked 75 zero‑day vulnerabilities exploited in the wild in 2024, with attackers moving from discovery to exploitation faster than ever.
  • Infrastructure is a prime target. VPNs, firewalls, identity systems, and supply‑chain components are increasingly exploited.
  • AI is changing the game. Surveys show most security professionals believe AI is accelerating vulnerability discovery and making attacks more convincing.

Zero Days : UK & Ireland

  • UK escalation: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) handled 204 nationally significant cyber incidents in 2025, more than double the 89 incidents the year before.
  • Public impact: Surveys show a meaningful share of UK adults have been victims of cybercrime, with younger adults (25–34) reporting the highest rates.
  • Ireland’s business reality: Hiscox’s 2024 Cyber Readiness Report found Irish businesses experienced an average of 58 cyberattacks in the past year, with 74% reporting an increase and many suffering reputational damage.

Zero‑Day Examples

1. Windows LNK Zero‑Day (CVE‑2025‑9491)

  • What’s happening: Attackers exploited a flaw in Windows shortcut (.lnk) files.
  • Why it matters: Shortcuts are used everywhere in Windows, so this gave attackers a stealthy way to gain persistence.
  • Example: Malicious commands were hidden inside everyday shortcut icons, tricking users into opening them and unknowingly giving attackers access.
  • How it can be prevented:
    • Apply Microsoft’s emergency patches immediately.
    • Restrict execution of unknown shortcut files from email or external drives.
    • Use endpoint detection tuned to spot unusual command launches.

Reference: IBTimes UK – Microsoft Issues Unannounced Patch for LNK Zero‑Day

2. Microsoft Patch Tuesday (December 2025)

  • What’s happening: Microsoft released fixes for 56 vulnerabilities, including three zero‑days.
  • Why it matters: These flaws affected Office apps, Windows components, and drivers—systems deployed everywhere.
  • Example: Attackers used these flaws to gain remote code execution and escalate privileges across unpatched systems.
  • How it can be prevented:
    • Adopt an emergency patch workflow to shorten the time between release and deployment.
    • Prioritise patching of widely used apps (Office, browsers, drivers).
    • Segment critical systems so one unpatched device doesn’t expose the entire network.

Reference: TechRepublic – Microsoft December 2025 Patch Tuesday

3. VPN & Firewall Zero‑Days (Trend)

  • What’s happening: Ransomware groups like Akira exploited flaws in SonicWall VPNs.
  • Why it matters: VPNs and firewalls are the “gates” to networks; one exploit can expose thousands of organizations.
  • Example: Attackers gained access through SonicWall SSL VPN zero‑days, bypassing perimeter defenses and moving inside corporate networks.
  • How it can be prevented:
    • Monitor vendor advisories and apply hotfixes immediately.
    • Enforce MFA and restrict VPN access to trusted IPs.
    • Deploy intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to block suspicious traffic until patches are available.

Reference: The Hacker News – Akira Ransomware Exploits SonicWall VPNs

What Businesses Must Do 

  1. Assume compromise. Microsegmentation and least privilege.
  2. Invest in visibility. Centralised logs, behaviour‑based detections.
  3. Buy time with compensating controls. Virtual patching, WAF rules, strict egress filtering.
  4. Formalise emergency workflows. Vendor escalation paths, tabletop exercises.
  5. Hunt proactively. Exploitation pattern hunts, measure MTTD/MTTC.

The Bottom Line

You can’t stop every unknown flaw. But you can make your environment harder to exploit and faster to recover. Treat zero‑day risk like structural risk in a city—inspect, isolate, and respond before a small crack becomes a collapse.

How Newtec Services Helps 

At Newtec Services, we believe the same AI attackers weaponise can also be your strongest defense. Our approach blends:

  • AI‑enhanced detection
  • Human‑led threat hunting
  • Rapid mitigation playbooks

Ready to see how your organization would hold up against a zero‑day? Let’s run a Zero‑Day Readiness Review together. Call 01 531 3777 or visit www.newtecservices.ie

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