The latest report from Gcore reveals a staggering 56% year-over-year increase in Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, posing significant threats to various industries globally, notably gaming, finance, and IT sectors.

According to Gcore’s analysis covering the last two quarters of 2024, the volume and intensity of DDoS attacks have surged. The report highlights that peak attack sizes reached an alarming 2 terabits per second, marking an 18% increase compared to the first half of the year.

Gcore, a prominent provider of content delivery network (CDN), edge AI, cloud, and security solutions, examined attack patterns across different sectors and regions. The findings show that the gaming industry is still the most targeted, making up 34% of all observed attacks. Meanwhile, the financial services sector has experienced a dramatic rise, with attacks jumping from 12% in late 2023 to 26% in the latter half of 2024. This shift underscores the growing focus of cybercriminals on high-value targets.

Furthermore, the IT sector is increasingly becoming a target for attackers, now representing 19% of all DDoS incidents, up from 7% the previous year. This trend indicates that attackers are prioritizing disruptions in technology services, recognizing the substantial impact even brief attacks can have on businesses that depend on these infrastructures. Notably, many IT firms possess considerable computational power, which perpetrators can exploit for amplifying their attacks.

Despite a 31% decrease in the overall volume of attacks directed at the gaming sector, it still faces the greatest risk from DDoS threats. This reduction may reflect the implementation of stronger defenses by gaming companies or a strategic pivot by attackers toward more lucrative sectors such as finance, which is particularly vulnerable to ransomware and service interruptions.

Geographic Insights on DDoS Attacks

Geographically, the Netherlands is identified as a major source of DDoS activity, accounting for 21% of application-layer attacks and 18% of network-layer events. The United States continues to be a notable hub due to its vast internet infrastructure, which attackers can take advantage of. Brazil has also seen an uptick in network-layer attacks, contributing 14% of total incidents, in line with its expanding digital economy. Additionally, Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, has experienced increased application-layer attacks, indicating a broader regional surge in cyber activity.

As the landscape of DDoS attacks evolves, so too does the duration of these assaults. Early 2024 saw DDoS attacks lasting up to 16 hours, but by the end of the year, the longest recorded attack lasted just five hours. This trend reflects a shift towards "burst attacks," which are shorter but more aggressive and harder to detect, thereby allowing attackers to disrupt services before defenses can adequately respond.

The Need for Enhanced Cybersecurity Measures

The trend toward shorter attack durations is partially driven by advances in cybersecurity defenses that have compelled attackers to refine their strategies. By launching rapid, high-intensity bursts, they aim to outpace automated detection systems. Such quick attacks may also serve as diversions for more complex threats like data breaches or ransomware attacks.

As organizations navigate an increasingly precarious threat landscape, investing in DDoS detection and prevention systems is becoming imperative. Companies that depend heavily on digital infrastructures must actively employ robust security measures to adapt to the evolving tactics used by cybercriminals. Gcore’s report serves as a stark reminder that vulnerabilities are present across all sectors, emphasizing the necessity for heightened cybersecurity resilience to avert operational disruptions and financial setbacks.

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