Your Ultimate Guide to Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
The internet has proven to be an unmatched asset. Its importance is relevant in both business and private life. Today’s world is impossible to live in without utilizing some form of the internet.
Regardless of its seemingly perfect features, the internet is not exactly as flawless as it portrays itself.
There are many ways one can get affected and exploited via the internet. Safety and privacy on the internet are not 100% guaranteed. Hackers are getting aggressively devious and one of the methods they have devised to scheme their way into your system is Remote Code Execution (RCE).
RCE vulnerabilities make it possible for hackers to gain entry and control over your computer, and you won’t even know it. These hackers will maneuver software into your system, manipulate existing data, and tweak your setting without your knowledge.
At this point, you’re probably wondering how you would detect these RCE vulnerabilities within your system and also how to take charge of the situation.
Because we care about you and your system, we took it upon ourselves to curate an extensive guide to help you understand the types of RCE vulnerabilities, how they can affect you, and how you can protect yourself and your system from their menace. So let’s jump right into it.
Remote Code Execution: Definition
What does RCE mean?
The RCE is a weak spot in any system or software through which hackers can maneuver their way and take control of the device. These vulnerabilities can be found in web applications and a few software such as Joomla or WordPress.
Hackers do not need to physically contact any of these devices to gain control over them. This makes it possible for these hackers to exploit and scheme their way into multiple servers or systems simultaneously.
If a hacker enters your system via any of these vulnerable spots, all your valuable credentials, such as passwords and credit card information, are no longer safe. You may even lose funds as a result of this. The worst part is that they can use your system as a botnet through which they can distribute DDoS.
Luckily, it is possible to tighten up the vulnerabilities that grant hackers access to your system. Ensuring that your RCE is regularly updated is one of the best methods. OS has features that allow the RCE to update themselves; all you have to do is ensure that this feature is enabled.
However, the update might be unsuccessful if your software is old. If this is the case, you must constantly run a manual update with the built-in application updater tool.
RCE Vulnerability Attacks
The vulnerability of the RCE is vast, so you should expect multiple attacks from different sources because they will surely come, but not unless you take steps to prevent them.
There are several attacks that you might encounter while you surf the web. One such attack occurs when you visit any website that a hacker controls. When this happens, you are at the mercy of these hackers, and they will perform malicious codes into your system without pity.
Another attack that you are susceptible to is an unsolicited message attack. Here, the hacker sends you a message either by text or email; this message contains a dubious code that will be run on your system as soon as you access this message. Hackers use this means to gain entry into your system, steal valuable credentials, or install viruses on a user’s computer.
These attackers are quite versatile. They never run out of ways to try to exploit you. Another means of exploitation entails them running malicious software on multiple machines at once, and in no time, the virus spreads.
They can also use this means to gain entrance into multiple systems and steal data from all of them. And remember, they do not need to be present to hack into these systems. They can run this malicious software from almost anywhere in the world.
Finally, there is an esteemed means of exploitation that hackers use. You stand a higher chance of getting exploited via this means if you’re using a Windows 10, especially between versions 1809 through 1903. This is because hackers detect vulnerabilities within these versions that grant them the same user privileges as the system owner.
With these privileges, hackers can access the system and take total control. The malicious software or scripts that they run would render administrator privileges void.
Protecting Your Systems from Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
If you own a system, you must prioritize protecting the RCE vulnerability. Here’s how you can effectively secure your system’s vulnerability:
Do not run applications using your administrator privileges
A hacker can easily control your system if you (the user) continuously run internal applications as the admin. As a business owner, you should avoid this as much as possible for the safety of your software, especially if you run compromised applications. Using Group policies or related tools will completely rule out the possibility of an attack via this means.
However, if you cannot avoid running applications with your administrator privileges, you should first check to see if irrelevant services are running at the time. Doing this will reduce the risks of an unwarranted entry while you run the application.
Constantly update your Operating system
We know we’ve stated this before, but we can’t over-emphasize it. Business owners must ensure that their OS is updated as frequently as possible. When you do this, you will efficiently cover up as many patches as possible. In no time, all your vulnerabilities are fully sorted.
Constant updates will also help to solve existing complications. If there are none, the update will decrease the possibility of occurrence.
You should try to disable the scripts in your browser and update the plugins with the operating system. Using an antivirus product will come in handy if you notice a compromise within the system. Alternatively, you can run a malware removal scan as well. Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware is a credible tool to use to this effect.
Be wary of unknown files
There is no such thing as ‘overprotecting’ your system from RCE vulnerabilities. After all, it’s you who would suffer the consequences of exploitation.
Every unknown file should be treated with caution. It would be best if you always were on guard. This could be tiring, but the result is always worth the effort. Here are a few measures to help you efficiently secure your system:
- If the received file does not have a .exe extension, it would be best if you did not open it. If it does, great. Check the file extension before you download the file.
- Make an effort to constantly run anti-malware scans to detect and block unauthorized entrance into your system.
- Set up firewall rules. These rules would only allow authorized connections to gain access to your system.
Final Thoughts
RCE vulnerabilities should be taken seriously and duly addressed as frequently as possible. But look at you, you’re lucky! All it takes to get in control of the situation is one call us. We are at your beck and call. Contact us, and we’ll come to safeguard your system from the claws of these dubious hackers.