What Is An Exploit

In cybersecurity, an exploit is software, data, or a sequence of commands that target security vulnerabilities to cause unanticipated behavior in a computer, software, or other electronic device. Exploits, which essentially are “hacks,” can lead to unauthorized control of a computer system. Exploits can also result in the following:

• DoS, or denial of service attacks to remove a system or network
• Unauthorized access to gain administrator access
• Installation of malicious software into a system or hardware
• Theft of sensitive data, such as passwords or financial information

Examples of Exploits

The following are examples of common exploits in cybersecurity:

• Buffer overflow – Allows the attacker to overwrite memory beyond the intended boundaries of a buffer through programming errors.
• Cross-site scripting – XSS exploit exploits a vulnerability in a web application, allowing an attacker to inject malicious code into a web page.
• SQL injection – Allows the attacker to exploit a vulnerability in a web application, resulting in the injection of malicious SQL code into a database query.

How To Protect Yourself From An Exploit

Below are steps you can take to reduce the risk of an exploit leading to harm in a system or network:

• Update software – Keep your web browser and operating system up to date, as this protects your data and network against known cyber vulnerabilities.
• Exert caution – Be weary of suspicious links, images, URLs, or websites because they can contain malware.
• Protect yourself – Use a security solution, including web filtering and malware protection, that prevents malicious activity from infecting your computer.
• Strong passwords – Strong passwords and multi-factor authentication can help reduce cybersecurity risks.