Computers and servers became the primary target of attacks, making up 92% of DDoS attempts, compared to only 68% in the previous year.
Attacks are also becoming shorter and less frequent, but more powerful.
While the overall count in attack frequency dropped 55% in 2023, the size of attacks grew 233%. Attacks lasting 90 minutes increased by 22%. This attack duration now makes up 81% of all DDoS attacks, while the most prolonged attacks spanning over 1200+ minutes saw a steep 95% reduction.
Application attacks have shifted starkly towards Windows OS devices, comprising 87% of all DDoS targets in 2023 compared to just 15% the prior year.
Computers and servers represented 92% of DDoS targets compared to 8% for mobile devices - a massive shift from the year before, when the split for computer/servers and mobile devices sat at 32% vs. 68%, respectively.
Attackers continue to leverage techniques to launch massive attacks with limited resources.
The most prominent attack vector to achieve this remains NTP Amplification Attacks - representing over a quarter of attacks.
These attacks decreased by 17% in 2023, suggesting that improved network configurations and heightened security awareness mitigate the impact.
HTTPS Flood, notable for its subtlety in mimicking legitimate traffic, made up 21% of 2023 attacks, up from 12% in 2022.
DNS Amplification saw the most significant rise, representing 14% of 2023 attacks, up from just 2% in 2022.
This sharp spike and its potential to create large-scale disruption highlight a significant vulnerability in global internet infrastructure.
The fastest growing threat category in 2023 was Application attacks, which rose 79% YoY in 2023 and comprised 25% of DDoS attacks, underscoring hackers' tenacity for adapting against today's advanced cybersecurity tools.
Volumetric attacks accounted for 24% - a 30% decline YoY, suggesting network infrastructure is becoming better equipped to absorb large volumes of traffic - or that attackers are simply shifting strategies towards more sophisticated methods.
Finally, single-vector attacks dominate 93% of DDoS attacks, again highlighting bad actors' prioritisation of simpler-to-execute techniques that require fewer resources and less expertise.
These attacks disrupt operations and services effectively, blend more easily with legitimate traffic, and can quickly be distributed against broad targets.
Founded in 2008, Nexusguard is a leading distributed denial of service security solution provider fighting malicious internet attacks.
Nexusguard ensures uninterrupted internet service, visibility, optimization and performance.
Nexusguard is focused on developing and providing the best cybersecurity solution for every client across a range of industries with specific business and technical requirements.
Nexusguard also enables communications service providers to deliver DDoS protection solutions as a service.
Nexusguard delivers on its promise to provide you with peace of mind by countering threats and ensuring maximum uptime.
This Cyber News was published on www.darkreading.com. Publication date: Thu, 09 May 2024 20:25:25 +0000