Zero-day vulnerability
A flaw unknown to the vendor or without a published patch yet, exploited before defenders have had any time to prepare.
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Why it matters
A patch cannot protect you from a zero-day, which is why layered defence that does not rely on a single measure matters. Network segmentation, least privilege, behaviour-based monitoring and good backups limit the damage until the flaw is fixed. When the patch arrives, it must be applied quickly.
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Example
An unpatched flaw in a widely used file-sharing product is discovered while attackers are already using it. Companies running the product take the server off the internet until a patch arrives and review logs for suspicious access.
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Common mistake
Assuming every security problem is a zero-day attack. Most breaches come from known flaws whose patches have been out for months; first make sure basic updates are applied regularly.
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