ZEKASTRA

Threat profile

Unpatched vulnerabilities

A known flaw in software for which a fix exists but has not been applied.

How it works

When a vendor publishes a fix, the flaw becomes public knowledge, and attackers can compare old and new versions. Systems that stay unpatched are then attacked at scale. Attackers favour flaws in internet-facing products because they can be found and used without any action from a victim.

What to look for

  • A product that no longer receives updates from its maker.
  • An advisory from the vendor or a national response team that names a product you run.
  • A vulnerability scan that lists old versions.

What reduces the risk

  1. Know what software you run, and subscribe to the vendors' security notices.
  2. Patch internet-facing systems first and test patches on a copy.
  3. Prioritise by evidence: vulnerabilities listed as exploited in the wild come before the rest.
  4. Retire products that are out of support or isolate them from the network.

Sources

This section is for defence and learning. Do not test systems you do not own or have written permission to test: unlawful access to an information system is an offence (Turkish Penal Code, Article 243).