Companies Across Cyber Sphere Warn of Surge in DDoS attacks

In a staggering but conclusive development, three separate, but concurrent reports published have unveiled the cybersphere is facing a renewed concern: Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

Cybersecurity firms - Imperva, NETSCOUT, and F5 Labs - have recently released reports that collectively paint a concerning picture of the current cybersecurity landscape. 

DDoS attacks are surging at an unprecedented rate, posing a significant threat to organisations across various sectors.

Dramatic surge in DDoS 

These reports consistently highlight a substantial increase in DDoS attacks over the past year.

F5 Labs' 2024 DDoS Attack Trends report documents a 112% rise in DDoS attacks from 2022 to 2023, with 2,127 attacks recorded in 2023. 

This doubling of attacks within a year further corroborates the alarming trend identified by Imperva, which revealed a staggering 111% increase in DDoS attacks in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. 

This significant jump underscores the rapidly evolving threat landscape that organisations are facing.

DDoS drama

A DDoS attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service, or network by overwhelming it with a flood of Internet traffic. This is achieved by utilising multiple compromised computer systems, which are part of a larger network called a botnet.

Financial gain is usually a primary motivator behind many DDoS attacks. Companies, unable to offer their online services, may pay attackers a ransom to relent in order to get their services back online. 

Yet what is interesting about this research is the growing political angle they attribute to the surge.

This spike in attacks coincided with specific geopolitical events, demonstrating the potential for sudden, intense surges in DDoS activity.

NETSCOUT’s report, which focused only on Romania, highlighted a peak of 1,016 DDoS attacks in a single day targeting in 2024. Romania, a neighbouring country of Russia, has repeatedly warned about hostile interference in its state operations.

It’s no wonder then that Imperva's report notes a 519% increase in DDoS attacks targeting Ukraine, along with significant surges in attacks on Israel (118%); regions facing political instability.

F5 Labs' report corroborates this trend, noting significant spikes in DDoS activity in America, France, and the UK. These three of the six most effected countries, helped make up  80% of all DDoS attacks in 2023.  All are having, or were had, elections. 

In fact, all three reports emphasise the significant role that geopolitical tensions play in driving DDoS attacks.

Targeted industries 

The reports collectively identify key industries that are bearing the brunt of this surge in DDoS attacks.

Imperva's report highlights a 548% rise in application layer DDoS attacks targeting the telecom and ISP sectors. This massive increase underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to these attacks.

F5 Labs' corroborated this huge leap, finding the telecommunications sector experienced a 655% increase in DDoS incident. This sector,  alongside software and computer services, F5 Labs found was the most targeted, accounting for 37% of all attacks. 

NETSCOUT research noted that government sectors were primary targets of the attacks. 

New attack vectors

The significant increase in DDoS attacks across various sectors and regions underscores the need for robust cybersecurity measures and continuous vigilance.

"Clearly, the threat from DDoS attacks is constantly evolving, and as this report shows it is also growing,” says David Warburton, Director of F5 Labs. “In a volatile environment, there can be no room for complacency".

Bad bots are found to be a key concern inF5 Labs’ research. David explained how the use of ‘resller bots’ - bots that snatch up inventory minutes after they are released - are posing difficulties due to them blurring the line between what is and isn’t malicious traffic. 

“While many of the attacks monitored may be small, mitigation can be complex and remains essential,” explains David. “The duration of a DDoS attack may be fleeting, but its impact on reputation can be long lasting.”

Therefore, the industry must adapt to this evolving threat landscape by implementing advanced defence mechanisms and maintaining continuous monitoring.

The surge in DDoS attacks, influenced by geopolitical tensions and facilitated by evolving attack vectors, demands a coordinated and proactive response from the cybersecurity community.

With Interpol’s bust having failed to quell the storm of DDoS, enterprise must now act to mitigate the growing threat.

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