Description

In 2024, Google's Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) identified 75 zero-day vulnerabilities used in the wild, down from 97 in 2023 but above the 63 seen in 2022. More than half of the exploits were attributed to spyware operations, with government-sponsored and commercial surveillance actors responsible for most attacks. Of particular note, China and North Korea were among the leading nation-state actors. Chrome, Windows, and mobile OS were the most commonly attacked, although mobile and browser exploits softened from last year. Enterprise apps, particularly security and networking appliances, were assaulted with a larger proportion of attacks. The reduction in zero-day exploitation is evidence of attackers shifting strategies. Though end-user platforms are still an target, enterprise-targeted products accounted for 44% of zero-day exploitation in 2024, compared to 37% in 2023. Valuable security appliances such as Ivanti, Cisco ASA, and Palo Alto PAN-OS were selectively attacked because they are part of network infrastructure, where compromising one device can grant broad access. Though exploits against Chrome and mobile platforms declined, attackers shifted to less-fortified enterprise tools, exploiting broader vendor ecosystems. To combat this threat, experts call on software vendors to invest in zero-day mitigation ahead of time, particularly for business-critical infrastructure. Security-by-design, patching on a regular basis, sharing threat intelligence, and hardened configurations are essential. While large vendors are making strides, an industry-wide effort is necessary to safeguard an expanding landscape of enterprise targets.