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which software vulnerability is exploited the most

by Corine Kunde DDS Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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CVE-2021-26084.
This vulnerability quickly became one of the most routinely exploited vulnerabilities after a POC was released within a week of its disclosure.
Apr 27, 2022

Full Answer

What are the most common computer vulnerabilities?

Microsoft is the most common target, likely thanks to how widespread use of its software is. The top exploited vulnerability on the list is CVE-2018-8174. Nicknamed Double Kill, it's a remote code execution flaw residing in Windows VBSsript which can be exploited through Internet Explorer.

What are the most exploited vulnerabilities in 2021?

In 2021, malicious cyber actors continued to target vulnerabilities in perimeter-type devices. Among those highly exploited in 2021 are vulnerabilities in Microsoft, Pulse, Accellion, VMware, and Fortinet.

Is Adobe Flash Player the most commonly exploited security vulnerability?

But also Adobe Flash Player makes it to the list. A recent report on the most exploited vulnerabilities by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI listed the most routinely exploited vulnerabilities in the wild.

Can cyber criminals exploit publicly known vulnerabilities?

The interesting thing is that most of these vulnerabilities are pretty old, yet cyber criminals have no problem to continue exploiting these publicly known software vulnerabilities to gain access to your network.

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What is the most common software vulnerability?

The most common software security vulnerabilities include:Missing data encryption.OS command injection.SQL injection.Buffer overflow.Missing authentication for critical function.Missing authorization.Unrestricted upload of dangerous file types.Reliance on untrusted inputs in a security decision.More items...

What is exploiting software vulnerabilities?

An exploit is a code that takes advantage of a software vulnerability or security flaw. It is written either by security researchers as a proof-of-concept threat or by malicious actors for use in their operations.

Which of the software is most vulnerable to a hacker?

Analysis by researchers at Recorded Future of exploit kits, phishing attacks and trojan malware campaigns deployed during 2018 found that flaws in Microsoft products were the most consistently targeted during the course of the year, accounting for eight of the top ten vulnerabilities.

What are three types of software vulnerabilities?

According to the OWASP Top 10 2021, here are the most common vulnerabilities:Broken Access Control. ... Cryptographic Failures. ... Injection. ... Insecure Design. ... Security Misconfiguration. ... Vulnerable and Outdated Components. ... Identification and Authentication Failures. ... Software and Data Integrity Failures.More items...•

What are the 4 main types of security vulnerability?

Security Vulnerability TypesNetwork Vulnerabilities. These are issues with a network's hardware or software that expose it to possible intrusion by an outside party. ... Operating System Vulnerabilities. ... Human Vulnerabilities. ... Process Vulnerabilities.

Which kind of software is vulnerable to security threats?

Malware. Malware is malicious software such as spyware, ransomware, viruses and worms. Malware is activated when a user clicks on a malicious link or attachment, which leads to installing dangerous software.

What is the biggest vulnerability to computer information security?

Failing to update software One of the biggest causes of cyber and information security vulnerabilities is that systems and software are not regularly updated.

Which software do hackers use?

Comparison of Best Hacking ToolsTool NamePlatformTypeNetsparkerWindows & Web-basedWeb Application Security for Enterprise.IntruderCloud-basedComputer & Network security.NmapMac OS, Linux, OpenBSD, Solaris, WindowsComputer security & Network management.MetasploitMac OS, Linux, WindowsSecurity3 more rows•Aug 7, 2022

How vulnerabilities are exploited?

Some vulnerabilities can only be exploited by an attacker working locally, either with direct access to the device itself or over a local network. In these cases, the attacker may be an authorized user trying to gain unauthorized privileges or access, or an on-the-spot intruder.

What is the difference between an exploit and vulnerability?

As we've written before, a vulnerability is a weakness in a software system. And an exploit is an attack that leverages that vulnerability. So while vulnerable means there is theoretically a way to exploit something (i.e., a vulnerability exists), exploitable means that there is a definite path to doing so in the wild.

What is exploitation in cyber security?

An exploit is a program, or piece of code, designed to find and take advantage of a security flaw or vulnerability in an application or computer system, typically for malicious purposes such as installing malware. An exploit is not malware itself, but rather it is a method used by cybercriminals to deliver malware.

How do hackers exploit vulnerabilities?

Exploitation is a piece of programmed software or script which can allow hackers to take control over a system, exploiting its vulnerabilities. Hackers normally use vulnerability scanners like Nessus, Nexpose, OpenVAS, etc. to find these vulnerabilities.

What is the most exploited vulnerability?

A recent report on the most exploited vulnerabilities by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI listed the most routinely exploited vulnerabilities in the wild. The interesting thing is that most of these vulnerabilities are pretty old, yet cyber criminals have no problem to continue exploiting these publicly known software vulnerabilities to gain access to your network. The cited reason for this is that the exploitation of these known vulnerabilities often requires fewer resources as compared with new zero-day exploits.

How many vulnerabilities does Lansweeper have?

It sounds so simple, but a solid cybersecurity program requires reliable inventory and discovery as its foundation. Lansweeper holds more than 450 built-in network reports, but ad-hoc vulnerabilities mostly require a custom vulnerability report to assess if you're vulnerable and need to update.

Why is the security update color coded?

It's color-coded to give you an easy and quick overview of which assets are vulnerable, and which ones still need to be patched. All admins are advised to install these security updates as soon as possible.

Can you get a free Lansweeper report?

If you haven't already, start your free trial of Lansweeper to run this report. Make sure to subscribe via the form below if you want to receive other vulnerability reports for free.

List of the most exploited software vulnerabilities

The list below will help you identify malware associated with exploiting the CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures). Included are the vulnerable products, CVE numbers, and mitigation strategies.

What about unknown software vulnerabilities?

Vulnerabilities that have not been made known publicly (exploitable through 0-day exploits) pose a threat to business networks.

How to protect your network against software hack

Vulnerability management can be difficult because it requires making decisions that account for business objectives, data and asset classification, risk, and more. However, Cisco Integrated Services Router can help you identify, prioritize and mitigate existing vulnerabilities so that you enhance the security of your most important assets.

What is the non-Microsoft vulnerability?

The only non-Microsoft vulnerability in the list aside from the Adobe vulnerability is CVE-2015-1805: a Linux kernel vulnerability which is often used to attack Android smartphones with malware.

What is the third vulnerability in Microsoft Office?

Disclosed in December 2016, it's a security vulnerability in Microsoft Office which enables arbitrary code to run when a maliciously-modified file is opened – putting users at risk malware being dropped onto their computer.

What is double kill?

Double Kill was included in four of the most potent exploit kits available to cyber criminals – RIG, Fallout, KaiXin and Magnitude – and they helped deliver some of the most notorious forms of banking trojan and ransomware to unsuspecting victims.

Why is it important to apply patches to your operating system?

Applying the appropriate patches to operating systems and applications can go a long way to protecting organisations against of some the most commonly deployed cyber attacks, as can having some intelligence on the potential risks posed by cyber attackers.

What is CVE-2018-4878?

But the second most commonly observed vulnerability during the course of the year was one of only two which didn't target Microsoft software: CVE-2018-4878 is an Adobe Flash zero-day first identified in February last year.

When will Adobe be exploited?

Adobe exploits used to be the most commonly deployed vulnerabilities by cyber criminals, but they appear to be going off it as we get closer to 2020.

Is Adobe Flash a security vulnerability?

Security vulnerabilities in Microsoft software have become an even more popular means of attack by cyber criminals - but an Adobe Flash vulnerability still ranks as the second most used exploit by hacking groups.

What is the most referenced vulnerability in Internet Explorer?

Experts from Recorded Future analyzed 141 exploit kits discovering that the Internet Explorer vulnerability tracked as CVE-2016-0189 was the most referenced on security blogs, deep web forum postings, and dark websites.

Where was the vulnerability exploited?

The vulnerability was exploited in targeted attacks against Windows users in South Korea before Microsoft fixed it.

What is the second flaw in Adobe Flash Player?

The second flaw in the list of the top CVE-2016-1019 is an Adobe Flash Player flaw that can be exploited to cause a denial of service or to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.

What is the CVE 2016-3298?

The first one is a browser information disclosure vulnerability in the Internet Explorer that could be exploited by hackers to “test for the presence of files on disk.”

What is PoC exploit code?

The PoC exploit code was used by threat actors in the wild great that included the malicious code in the most popular exploit kits, including Neutrino EK, Magnitude EK, Angler EK , RIG EK , Nuclear EK, Spartan, and Hunter.

What are the exploit kits used for?

Hackers used the exploit kits to deliver several families of malware, including ransomware, banking Trojan, and implants.

Who exploited the APT3 flaw?

FireEye reported the flaw was exploited by the APT3 group in cyber espionage campaigns conducted to gather information about government and political activities in Southeast

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Key Findings

  • In 2020, cyber actors readily exploited recently disclosed vulnerabilities to compromise unpatched systems. Based on available data to the U.S. Government, a majority of the top vulnerabilities targeted in 2020 were disclosed during the past two years. Cyber actor exploitation of more rece…
See more on cisa.gov

2021 Cves

  • In 2021, cyber actors continued to target vulnerabilities in perimeter-type devices. In addition to the 2020 CVEs listed above, organizations should prioritize patching for the following CVEs known to be exploited. 1. Microsoft Exchange: CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858, and CVE-2021-27065 1.1. See CISA’s Alert: Mitigate Microsoft Exchange Server Vulnerabilities for m…
See more on cisa.gov

Mitigations and Indicators of Compromise

  • One of the most effective best practices to mitigate many vulnerabilities is to update software versions once patches are available and as soon as is practicable. If this is not possible, consider applying temporary workarounds or other mitigations, if provided by the vendor. If an organization is unable to update all software shortly after a patch is released, prioritize implementing patche…
See more on cisa.gov

Additional Resources

  • Free Cybersecurity Services
    CISA offers several free cyber hygiene vulnerability scanning and web application services to help U.S. federal agencies, state and local governments, critical infrastructure, and private organizations reduce their exposure to threats by taking a proactive approach to mitigating atta…
  • Cyber Essentials
    CISA’s Cyber Essentialsis a guide for leaders of small businesses as well as leaders of small and local government agencies to develop an actionable understanding of where to start implementing organizational cybersecurity practices.
See more on cisa.gov

1.Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities | CISA

Url:https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa21-209a

2 hours ago  · The top ten most commonly exploited vulnerabilities – and the software they target – according to the Recorded Future Annual Vulnerability report are: CVE-2018-8174 – Microsoft CVE-2018-4878 – Adobe CVE-2017-11882 – Microsoft CVE-2017-8750 – Microsoft CVE-2017-0199 – Microsoft CVE-2016-0189 – ...

2.The Top 8 Most Exploited Vulnerabilities - Lansweeper.com

Url:https://www.lansweeper.com/vulnerability/the-top-8-most-exploited-vulnerabilities/

1 hours ago  · Among the 15 most targeted vulnerabilities of 2021 are infamous exploits Log4Shell, ProxyShell and ProxyLogon, which impact Apache Log4j and Microsoft Exchange Server. Others include ...

3.Top 20 most exploited software vulnerabilities

Url:https://news.networktigers.com/industry-news/top-20-most-exploited-software-vulnerabilities/

34 hours ago  · ProxyLogon is a vulnerability affecting Microsoft Exchange 2013, 2016, and 2019. It allows an adversary to bypass authentication and thus impersonate an administrator. Due to the lack of updates for internal infrastructures, this remains one of the most exploited flaws in 2022.

4.These are the top ten security vulnerabilities most …

Url:https://www.zdnet.com/article/these-are-the-top-ten-security-vulnerabilities-most-exploited-by-hackers-to-conduct-cyber-attacks/

31 hours ago  · Most exploited vulnerabilities, new and old. Compiled by cybersecurity authorities from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, the list of top 15 …

5.The most dangerous vulnerabilities exploited in 2022

Url:https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/topic/most-dangerous-vulnerabilities-exploited/

16 hours ago  · The first one is a browser information disclosure vulnerability in the Internet Explorer that could be exploited by hackers to “test for the presence of files on disk.”. “An information disclosure vulnerability exists when Internet Explorer improperly handles objects in …

6.Most Exploited Vulnerabilities: by Whom, When, and How

Url:https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/topic/most-exploited-vulnerabilities-by-whom-when-and-how/

36 hours ago  · The 15 most exploited vulnerabilities include 9 that allow remote code execution, 2 elevation of privilege flaws, and security bypass, path traversal, arbitrary file reading, and arbitrary code execution flaws. Top of the list was the maximum severity Log4Shell vulnerability in the Apache Log4j open source logging framework.

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