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Cybersecurity glossary

What is zero-day?

Also known as: 0-day, zero day vulnerability

Definition

A zero-day is a vulnerability that is exploited or known to attackers before the vendor has a fix available.

Why it matters

When a patch is released, the window shifts to "n-day" exploitation of unpatched systems, which is often when attacks spread widely. Defense in depth and fast patching limit the damage.

Common questions about zero-day

See also

Sources