In 2022, record-breaking levels of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks were reported by Russia’s largest ISP, according to MIT Technology Review. DDoS attacks are targeted cyber-attacks that are conducted against computer networks, targeted to disrupt its services and functionally. Cybercriminals use malicious code along with a vast network of computers that have each been programmed to send a flood of requests to a single IP address, thereby blocking legitimate traffic from accessing a service.
The MIT Technology Review report noted that the increasing sophistication and advancement of DDoS attacks had resulted in a 7,700% increase in the average size of such attacks in the first half of 2022. Additionally, the report claims that DDoS attack traffic had increased by 1,907% compared to the same time period in 2023.
Given the complexity of DDoS attacks and the significant increase in occurrence, it is understandable to question why these cybercriminal gangs are targeting networks in this way. Financial rewards, malicious intent, or even political motivations have all been cited as potential motives behind these malicious activities. However, many sources have highlighted the lack of internet security in place and the damaging effect it can have on businesses.
Firewalls, within security guidelines, are the first line of defense when it comes to avoiding the damage caused by a DDoS attack. While spam emails and malware downloads present their own security challenges, hackers can target individual organisations and businesses with a much higher degree of accuracy. Furthermore, recent reports have suggested that cybercriminals are using more complex methods to breach networks, such as malicious code and malware attack on web traffic.
Ultimately, DDoS attacks serve as a reminder not just of the fragility of modern-day network infrastructure targeting organisations, but of the need for more robust and comprehensive internet security protocols to protect businesses from these malicious activities.
This Cyber News was published on heimdalsecurity.com. Publication date: Wed, 25 Jan 2023 14:44:03 +0000