What are zero-day attacks, and why do they work?

Every new innovation brings with it a new opportunity, and a new risk. Across the Gulf, digital progress is accelerating at a historic pace. From government services powered by artificial intelligence to hyperconnected urban infrastructure, the region’s transformation is redefining how we live, work, and connect. But as systems become more advanced, so too do the threats designed to exploit them.

Among the most dangerous of these are zero-day attacks, cyber exploits that take advantage of software flaws unknown even to their creators. These hidden vulnerabilities can swiftly compromise critical services, posing serious risks to national infrastructure. As the Gulf continues to expand their digital economies, understanding how these attacks work, and how to stay ahead of them, is key to protecting the progress that defines the region’s future.

In early 2025, the UAE Cyber Security Council revealed that the nation was defending against more than 200,000 cyberattacks each day, many of them targeting government, finance, and technology sectors. Officials noted that an increasing number of these incidents involved AI-enhanced attack methods, an indication of how quickly the regional threat landscape is evolving. The Council warned that as artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in business and government operations, attackers are using it to automate intrusion attempts, making traditional defences less effective and underscoring the need for more anticipatory approaches to cybersecurity.

Understanding zero-day attacks

What is a zero-day vulnerability, exploit, and attack?

A zero-day vulnerability is a software security flaw unknown to its vendor, leaving the system temporarily unprotected. When attackers exploit this vulnerability, it becomes a zero-day exploit. A The term “zero-day” simply reflects that vendors have zero days to fix the problem before it can be abused, underscoring how critical and time-sensitive these threats are.

Common targets of zero-day attacks

Operating systems, web browsers, enterprise software, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices are common targets. These platforms are essential to daily operationsand public services, making them attractive for attackers seeking maximum disruption or access to valuable data.

Why zero-day attacks are so effective

These types of attacks have several advantages in the cybersecurity landscape. Due to their novel nature, they can be challenging to detect and understand. There are several reasons they work when deployed against unsuspecting targets:

• No available patch: These exploits are unknown to both vendors and defenders, meaning they have not been identified and patched yet, leaving the door open for attackers.
• High-value targets: These attacks are often used in cyber espionage, ransomware campaigns, and advanced persistent threats (APTs) to target specific organisations and critical assets holding sensitive data.
• Difficult to detect: These exploits often are missed by traditional detection tools, allowing adversaries to operate undetected.
• Speed and stealth: Successful breaches are more likely with zero-day attacks because attackers act quickly and quietly, exploiting vulnerabilities before they are identified and patched.

Across the region, these same challenges are driving major investments in cyber resilience. Cybersecurity incidents in the Middle East now average $8.05 million per breach, almost double the global figure. In response, Gulf Cooperation Council nations are accelerating threat-intelligence programmes and joint defense initiatives, with the regional market for cyber threat intelligence projected to reach $31 billion by 2030. From Saudi Arabia’s new “Haseen” cybersecurity services portal to Dubai’s updated Cyber Security Strategy, these nations are embedding protection and prediction into the fabric of their digital transformation.

This momentum highlights a shared recognition that prevention must evolve faster than the threats themselves.

Real-world zero-day attack examples

These attacks are no longer abstract; they affect essential systems across every sector. No organisation is immune to being targeted, and real-world incidents have shown how far-reaching their impact can be –

• Nation-state sabotage: State-sponsored attackers can target critical infrastructure and utilities with zero-day exploits, rendering key services and life-saving utilities unavailable.
• Supply chain attacks: Global supply chains remain appealing targets because of their wide reach. Exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in a supplier’s software can ripple across multiple sectors, impacting consumers, manufacturers, and government agencies alike.
• Connected devices and communications: From mobile carriers and enterprise servers to IoT and IIoT networks, attackers are increasingly using zero-day exploits for surveillance or access to critical data. These are widely used, increasing the potential for significant disruption.

Nowhere is this evolution more visible than in Saudi Arabia, which accounted for nearly two-thirds of all cyber incidents in the Middle East in 2025. Attackers are now leveraging artificial intelligence to automate breaches and scale phishing campaigns, forcing defenders to rethink their approach. Real-time visibility across networks and devices is now essential to proactive cybersecurity defense. The future lies in predictive visibility: turning network data into actionable intelligence capable of anticipating and stopping threats before they strike.

How zero-day vulnerabilities are discovered and used

 Zero-day vulnerabilities can be found and exploited by many different groups, each with their own motives and methods.

• White-hat researchers: Often ethical hackers, also known as white-hat researchers, discover zero-day vulnerabilities via bug bounty programmes and responsible disclosure. This helps vendors identify and address these issues.
• Black-hat hackers: On the flip side, if a black-hat hacker identifies a vulnerability before it is patched, the hacker can leverage it for gain, often selling exploits on the dark web.
• Government agencies: Some government agencies engage in offensive cyber operations, stockpiling exploits for strategic purposes. They also can inform organisations and vendors of these exploits, much like white-hat researchers.
• Thorough investigation: Internal security teams can leverage investigation capabilities, such as packet-level insights, to discover and understand zero-day threats, preventing future occurrences.

Understanding how these vulnerabilities are uncovered, both ethically and maliciously, reinforces the need for constant visibility and collaboration between private and public sectors.

How to defend against zero-day attacks

There are several measures security and network teams can take to more effectively avoid zero-day attacks.

• Leverage threat investigation: Detection alone often misses the unknown. Thorough investigation, leveraging deep packet inspection (DPI) at scale and forensic analysis, is key to identifying and preventing zero-day attacks from being successful now and in the future.
• Patch quickly: Prioritising updates and effective vulnerability management is essential to mitigating the risk of zero-day attacks.
• Use behavior-based detection: Employing solutions such as endpoint detection and response (EDR), network detection and response (NDR), and extended detection and response (XDR) in combination with a strong investigation focus can help identify anomalous behavior that can signify zero-day exploits are being leveraged.
• Adopt zero-trust principles: Implementing a zero-trust security architecture, limiting user access, and continuously verifying identities can reduce the risk of unauthorised access to sensitive data.
• Segment the network: Strategic network segmentation helps contain breaches and minimises lateral movement within a compromised system.
• Stay informed: Subscribing to security advisories and threat intelligence feeds helps keep organisations informed on emerging threats and vulnerabilities.

Staying ahead of emerging threats with investigation

Zero-day attacks represent a significant threat in the cybersecurity landscape, exploiting unknown vulnerabilities to devastating effect. Understanding these attacks and implementing proactive defensive strategies is essential for staying ahead of emerging threats.

The Gulf’s approach to cybersecurity is increasingly guided by anticipation, innovation, and collaboration. At the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Councils meeting in Dubai, Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, the UAE’s Head of Cybersecurity, described artificial intelligence as “a new oil” powering both opportunity and defense. The UAE’s new five-pillar National Cybersecurity Strategy—built on partnership, governance, protection, innovation, and technology—reflects this vision. By harnessing AI to strengthen national defences and enhance collaboration across sectors, the region is laying the groundwork for a future defined by resilience through foresight.

Cybersecurity in the Middle East is entering an era defined not by reaction, but by anticipation. The next frontier will belong to those who can predict threats before they materialise, using visibility and intelligence to transform uncertainty into foresight. For Gulf enterprises and governments alike, that means combining technical capability with strategic awareness — recognising that resilience is built not just through defence, but through understanding.

The path forward is clear: data visibility must evolve into digital foresight. By turning the constant flow of network data into actionable intelligence, organisations can expose the unseen and outthink adversaries who thrive in the unknown. This shift — from detection to anticipation — will determine how effectively the region protects its digital future.

Packets do not lie, and in a connected Gulf, visibility is not merely protection. It is progress.