Overview

This article will explain the ACSIA alert called "system date change".

Explaining the system date change

"System date change" refers to the act of manually altering the date and time settings on a computer or device. This change can be made by a user with appropriate permissions and allows them to set the computer's clock to a different date and time than the actual current time.

Here's an example to help illustrate this concept:

Let's say we have a computer, and notice that a particular software trial period is about to expire soon. The trial period ends on a specific date, and we want to continue using the software for a little longer without paying for it.

In this situation, we might attempt a "system date change" by going into our computer's settings and manually adjusting the date to a previous date before the trial period expires. By setting the date back in time, we trick the software into thinking that it is still within the trial period, allowing us to use it beyond the intended limit.

However, it's important to note that making a "system date change" can have unintended consequences. Altering the date and time on a computer can affect various applications, schedules, and time-sensitive tasks. Additionally, some software applications might have built-in mechanisms to detect and prevent such manipulations.

In cybersecurity, a "system date change" can be used for legitimate purposes, such as troubleshooting or setting up virtual environments for testing. However, it can also be exploited maliciously by attackers to evade time-based security controls, like expired certificates or time-sensitive software limitations.

ACSIA alerts you when a system date change is being performed. Here's all the information that ACSIA shows you in the Live Notification:

Also, on the right of the above screen, we can see the actions that a user can perform when we're notified by ACSIA of a system date change.