Accelerated Exploitation of Vulnerabilities Threatens Cybersecurity Defenses

• •Over 80% of exploits target vulnerabilities before CVE disclosure.
• •Vulnerability exploitation accounted for 62.1% of web application attacks in H1 2026.
• •Many exploited vulnerabilities had patches available but were not managed effectively.

As of July 2026, the average time between a CVE announcement and the first detected attack has fallen below zero, indicating that attackers are exploiting vulnerabilities before they are officially disclosed. The zero-day exploitation rate has surpassed 80%, with attackers leveraging automated tools and AI to identify and exploit vulnerabilities rapidly. The Radware H1 2026 Threat Report noted that vulnerability exploitation accounted for 62.1% of all web application and API attacks, with malicious transactions increasing significantly. Despite a record number of CVEs being disclosed, many exploited vulnerabilities were old and had existing patches, highlighting a gap in asset visibility and vulnerability management. Organizations are urged to enhance their detection capabilities to recognize malicious behavior proactively, as traditional patching methods are insufficient when vulnerabilities are exploited before disclosure.