Netflix’s Zero Day has captivated audiences with its intense portrayal of a former U.S. president (played by Robert De Niro) assembling a task force to respond to a devastating cyberattack. The show thrives on high-stakes drama, but its core premise—an all-encompassing cyber assault that cripples national infrastructure—isn’t just entertainment. Cybersecurity experts warn that while Zero Day is fictional, the risk of a catastrophic cyberattack is very real.
The term “zero day” refers to a vulnerability in software that is exploited before a patch or fix is available. Attackers who discover these flaws can infiltrate systems undetected, sometimes for months or years. But how accurate is Zero Day in depicting large-scale cyber threats? Could a cyberattack on this scale actually happen?
Fictional Cyberattacks vs. Real-World Threats
In Zero Day, cybercriminals take control of the nation’s infrastructure in a synchronized attack, wreaking havoc on transportation, hospitals, and air traffic control systems. While the scenario is dramatized, cybersecurity professionals say the show’s underlying message—that digital vulnerabilities could lead to mass disruption—isn’t far from reality.
Jason Soroko, Senior Fellow at Sectigo, warns that modern economies are vulnerable due to decades of underinvestment in cybersecurity:
“Decades of missed opportunities for investment in cybersecurity in critical infrastructure and other areas have led to fragile defenses. Most organizations are only beginning to adopt zero trust principles. Critical infrastructure systems are designed primarily for uptime rather than cyber resiliency. The fact that our lights are on has more to do with the discipline of the bad guys to keep their hands off than our ability to defend our most critical systems.”
History has already given us glimpses of what cyberattacks can do. The 2010 Stuxnet worm disrupted Iran’s nuclear program. The 2020 SolarWinds attack compromised multiple U.S. federal agencies. In 2021, a ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline led to gas shortages across the East Coast, all because hackers exploited a single compromised password.
J. Stephen Kowski, Field CTO at SlashNext, points to real-world incidents that mirror the show’s premise:
“Look at January 2024, when one software problem grounded thousands of flights across America. Or remember 2021, when hackers broke into Colonial Pipeline using just one weak password, leaving many states without gas. The show is right to focus on phone attacks because smartphones are now our biggest weakness. Criminals use clever tricks and AI to hack into our phones, which can lead to massive problems.”
Hollywood’s Cybersecurity Tropes: What Zero Day Gets Right (and Wrong)
Movies and TV shows often exaggerate hacking for dramatic effect. In reality, cyberattacks require extensive planning, and breaching critical infrastructure simultaneously is highly challenging.
Venky Raju, Field CTO at ColorTokens, explains why a nationwide cyberattack like the one in Zero Day would be difficult to execute:
“While all these systems use computers and networking extensively, they are inherently fragmented as they are managed by different government agencies and commercial entities. From a cybersecurity perspective, fragmentation is desirable as it helps compartmentalize attacks and minimizes movement of malware from one network to another.”
Despite these technical hurdles, experts agree that the threats depicted in Zero Day reflect genuine concerns about deeply embedded cyber vulnerabilities.
John Waller, Cybersecurity Practice Lead at Black Duck, sees the show as a warning rather than pure fiction:
“Zero Day can be seen as a wake-up call, a stark reminder that the threats we face in cyberspace are no longer confined to stolen data or financial fraud. They can disrupt society itself. These aren’t just Hollywood exaggerations; they reflect the reality of Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), stealthy, highly coordinated cyberattacks that can infiltrate critical systems and wait for the perfect moment to strike.”
How Prepared Are We for a Zero Day-Style Attack?
The idea of a widespread, coordinated cyberattack isn’t impossible, but it would require significant resources and coordination. That said, cybersecurity professionals stress that current vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure remain a major concern.
While nation-state actors may have the capability to launch devastating cyberattacks, fragmentation in infrastructure can slow or contain the impact. However, experts agree that ransomware attacks, AI-driven threats, and supply chain vulnerabilities continue to escalate.
Can Entertainment Educate?
While Zero Day takes creative liberties, it succeeds in raising awareness of the growing risks of cyber warfare. The show highlights an uncomfortable truth—cybersecurity is no longer just about protecting personal data; it’s about safeguarding national stability.
If nothing else, Zero Day serves as a reminder that cybersecurity isn’t just a plot device—it’s a critical issue that affects us all. The real question isn’t whether such an attack could happen, but whether we are doing enough to prevent it.
