Here’s How DDoS Attackers Exploited a Pandemic

Shorter attack duration + increased complexity = less time for defenders to respond to tougher mitigation scenarios

Here’s How DDoS Attackers Exploited a Pandemic
NETSCOUT

As NETSCOUT’s 1H 2020 Threat Intelligence Report shows, the COVID-19 pandemic created a seismic shift in how we work and live and added rocket fuel to the growth in DDoS attacks. During the shutdown, the world was hit by the single largest number of monthly attacks we’ve ever seen—929,000 DDoS attacks in May alone.

For cybercriminals, the COVID-19 pandemic is nothing short of an outstanding business opportunity—and they have taken full advantage. This infographic connects the dots to show just how motivated attackers exploit global pandemic vulnerabilities:

 

3 Steps to Exploiting a Pandemic

3 Steps to Exploiting a Pandemic - Read more at @NETSCOUT

The Takeaway

4.8 million DDoS attacks hit the world in the first six months of 2020—and at what price?

  • Those attacks consumed enormous amounts of bandwidth and throughput—and both service providers and enterprises must absorb that traffic as a cost of doing business in the digital economy.
  • Cybersecurity math has always favored the bad guys. The latest example is the trend towards fast but complex multivector attacks.
  • Such scenarios only highlight the vital role of advanced and automated DDoS technology.

Access the NETSCOUT 1H 2020 Threat Intelligence Report here