In 2023, malicious cyber actors exploited more zero-day vulnerabilities to compromise enterprise networks compared to 2022, allowing them to conduct cyber operations against higher-priority targets.
In 2023, the majority of the most frequently exploited vulnerabilities were initially exploited as a zero-day, which is an increase from 2022, when less than half of the top exploited vulnerabilities were exploited as a zero-day. Malicious cyber actors continue to have the most success exploiting vulnerabilities within two years after public disclosure of the vulnerability. The utility of these vulnerabilities declines over time as more systems are patched or replaced. Malicious cyber actors find less utility from zero-day exploits when international cybersecurity efforts reduce the lifespan of zero-day vulnerabilities.
Read more…
Source: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Cyber Division
Related:
- A Peek Into Muddled Libra’s Operational Playbook
February 10, 2026
During a September 2025 incident response investigation, Unit 42 discovered a rogue virtual machine (VM) which they believe with high confidence to be used by the cybercrime group Muddled Libra (aka Scattered Spider, UNC3944). The contents of this rogue VM and activity from the attack provide valuable insight into the operational playbook of this threat actor. ...
- SolarWinds Web Help Desk Exploitation – February 2026
February 10, 2026
Multiple intrusions have been publicly reported starting on February 6, 2026 stemming from Internet-connected servers utilizing SolarWinds Web Help Desk software. This exploitation activity reportedly first occurred in December 2025. Given the number of recent CVEs affecting this product, it’s not yet clear which of several CVEs is directly responsible for these campaigns. Below are ...
- UNC1069 Targets Cryptocurrency Sector with New Tooling and AI-Enabled Social Engineering
February 9, 2026
North Korean threat actors continue to evolve their tradecraft to target the cryptocurrency and decentralized finance (DeFi) verticals. Mandiant recently investigated an intrusion targeting a FinTech entity within this sector, attributed to UNC1069, a financially motivated threat actor active since at least 2018. This investigation revealed a tailored intrusion resulting in the deployment of seven unique ...
- Malaysia: Nacsa investigating alleged cyber-espionage targeting multiple government bodies
February 7, 2026
The National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) is currently investigating alleged incidents of cyber-espionage activity targeting various Malaysian government entities. In a statement to StarLifestyle, a Nacsa spokesperson said the agency is aware of a report published by Unit 42, the threat research unit of US-based cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks. The Nacsa spokesperson said the agency ...
- Approaching cyclone: Vortex Werewolf attacks Russia
February 6, 2026
In December 2025 and January 2026, BI.ZONE Threat Intelligence detected malicious activity by a new cluster Vortex Werewolf (SkyCloak). The attacks targeted Russian government and defense organizations. BI.ZONE researchers findings indicate that the adversary used phishing emails to deliver malware to the target systems. Victims received messages containing a download link disguised as a Telegram file‑sharing ...
- China’s Salt Typhoon hackers broke into Norwegian companies
February 6, 2026
The Norwegian government has accused the Chinese-backed hacking group known as Salt Typhoon of breaking into several organizations in the country. In a report published on Friday, the Norwegian Police Security Service said the hacking group, believed to be working for the Chinese government, targeted vulnerable network devices to conduct espionage. Norway is the latest country ...