Cyber attackers don’t need much time—they just need a vulnerability. Forensic analysis shows that once inside, threat actors can move laterally across an enterprise in under an hour. In some cases, it takes just 15 minutes. And with 32% of ransomware incidents traced to known but unpatched vulnerabilities, failing to update systems is like playing Russian Roulette—with more than one bullet in the chamber.

This session will explore how attackers exploit known weaknesses, including documented vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-21972 and CVE-2021-21973 in VMware products. We’ll also look at how adversaries are leveraging tools such as AI, Ransomware-as-a-Service, and phishing kits to increase their speed, scale, and effectiveness.

In this session you will:

• Understand the real-world impact of unpatched vulnerabilities and why patching must be a priority
• Explore the modern attacker’s toolkit—including automation, AI, and credential stuffing—and how they accelerate time-to-compromise
• Learn actionable strategies to tighten patch management, reduce dwell time, and defend against fast-moving threats